Divortium
by allonsysilvertongue
Summary: The Referendum has decreed that the marriage law be abolished and all marriages have now been annulled. Haymitch and Effie must learn to cope with the consequences, and act in the best interest of their children.
1. Chapter 1

**_Happy New Year, Hayffie fandom! To celebrate 2015, here's the first chapter of Divortium :) I hope 2015 will be good to you and the fandom, and that it'll be filled with happy things, new fics, fan arts and Hayffie appearing in the epiloque for Mockingjay Part 2._**

**_If you are new, Divortium is a sequel and you would have to read Consortium before this, and I hope you don't find the 74 chapters daunting._**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

Every marriage has a script.

He never raised his hand at her and he never argued with his fist but each time she said something nasty – and she said it often because there was always something she would squabble with him about; the lights he left on when she wanted off, the door to their bedroom that he never bothered closing or the milk that she left out of the fridge when he wanted them put away – he would fix her with a smoldering glare as he clenched his jaw to stop himself from doing something he would regret. She would tell him to 'fuck off' and he would tell her that nobody will love her with that kind of attitude before walking out on her, never to come home until morning the next day, and she would sleep alone in her room just the way she liked it. When the opportunity presented itself, she would take the train away from wherever they were staying at the moment and sometimes, she would call Felix to ask him along because she knew that would only anger her husband more.

That was the script of _their_ marriage.

But that morning, the norm was broken. Sunlight filtered through the open windows and the smell of fresh earth and wood wafted in from the nearby forest in District Seven. The house was peaceful, so unlike the scene that was always present. There were no biting remarks from Johanna directed at her husband and there were no doors slamming in Gale's wake as he stormed off. Posy wasn't peeking out from the small crack of her bedroom door to see what was going on and Hazelle Hawthorne was not pretending not to hear them fighting _again._

That kind of morning was rare. It was unlike any others because that morning marked the end of the marriage law. Johanna could already smell her freedom. There was a grin on her face and a glint in Gale's eyes after President Paylor addressed the nation to announce the abolishment of the law. Johanna's bark of laughter filled the room while Gale lifted Posy up in the air to spin her around in circles.

"You're never gonna be forced to marry," he grinned at his little sister.

"It's over," Johanna gave a little whoop.

Gale set Posy down and she quickly ran out of the house to join Vick outside.

"The annulment makes everything easier," Gale said, folding his arms across his chest as he focused once again on the screen. "No need for a divorce proceeding – no hassle – faster that way."

"Knew you couldn't wait to get rid of me," Johanna gibed.

"And we have no children to complicate any custody issues. Guess it's a good thing you went for that botched surgery or we would have little babies dragging us down."

"Whatever," she muttered. "Let it go already."

"You could have died that day if it wasn't for the raid," he retorted. "I nearly lost – "

"What do you care?"

Gale shut his mouth. He glanced around the house, taking everything in for what would be the last time.

"This is your house," he said, and she rolled her eyes at the obvious. "We're not married anymore so I'll take my family back to Two within the next few days."

Had the law not been abolished, Johanna would have followed him back to District Two at the end of the month because that was their arrangement - a compromise they agreed on since neither of them wanted to make the move to another district completely – a month in District Seven and another month in District Two.

Johanna said nothing to him. Her eyes strayed over to his younger siblings playing outside the house with the friends they had made in Seven.

"They can come back here to this house anytime they want," she said, nodding towards where Rory was showing Posy and her friend how to climb a tree. "We – You and I might not have made it work but your family… your family are not strangers. Not anymore."

His lips stretched into an amused smile and for a moment, Johanna was struck with an unwarranted thought – she wondered if she had ever made him smile – but before she could dwell too much on it, she shook her head to clear it away.

"Posy would like that. My mother, too. She's grown fond of you – don't ask me why, I don't see anythin' about you that's likeable," he mumbled and Johanna was about to snap at him when she realize he was attempting to make a joke.

She huffed and snorted.

"Does she? Didn't think I was the kind of wife she wanted for her son."

Still, when the day came for them to leave, Johanna who thought the hardest goodbye was in seeing Ari being taken away found herself unprepared for the waves of emotions and sentimentality.

It was always the little girls, Johanna thought as she shuffled uncomfortably, watching Posy trying hard to control her sobs.

"It's okay, Posy," Johanna patted her back awkwardly when the girl gave her a hug. "We'll see each other again some time."

"Johanna, you are always welcome to our home in Two," Hazelle said, her eyes glistening. Johanna looked everywhere except at Hazelle before settling on their joined hands. "When you married Gale, you became a part of our family, and although I wished that you both had married under better circumstances because who knows, you and him could have made it work then, you will always remain a family, you understand?"

Johanna nodded.

"You two were friendly in Thirteen, are you sure there is no chance of reconciliation? You don't have to make the decision now but perhaps this time, your marriage will work if you give it a try. Learn from each other's mistakes."

She sincerely doubted that very much. Thirteen was different. It was true that they had become somewhat friends during the course of the war but that was all they would ever be. They were not made for a life together.

"We've talked it over, Hazelle. This is what we both want," Johanna said firmly.

The older woman sighed. "Very well, then. But it doesn't change anything. You're still family, you are as good as a daughter to me. I hope you don't forget that."

Hazelle had no cause to worry. Gale's family were not people she would likely forget. She actually liked them, which she found surprising, but they had been nothing but nice to her since she married Gale. There was never a quiet moment in the house with them around. Whenever Gale's siblings visited Seven during school holidays, they filled the silence of the otherwise empty house with their laughter and joke, and when Johanna stayed in Two, they were always there to fill her days. Hazelle always made sure there was food on the table and it had been so long since Johanna had gone home to a good home cooked meal. They couldn't in any way replace her own family whom Snow had murdered but they came close.

For a long, long time, the Victors that she had befriended came the closest to people Johanna considered family. There was Chaff and Haymitch, the two old men who looked out for her as an uncle and a father would. There was Finnick who was like a brother to her which made Haymitch frequently complained about how they were thick as thieves. Annie treated her like a sister and Mags reminded Johanna of the grandmother she lost two years before her name was reaped. They were dysfunctional but they were all she had until she married Gale and became someone's wife, someone's sister in law and someone's daughter in law. It was not something she would forget.

"Hey, Jo, you'll visit us once in a while, right?" Vick asked.

"Yeah, I will," Johanna nodded and offered him a small smile.

"I'll see you in three weeks' time," Gale said, passing by her on the way to the pick-up truck, "at the City for the dissolution certificate."

"Yeah," she agreed. She watched his family entered the vehicle as he arranged their luggage at the back of the truck.

"See you," he nodded at her.

"Wait," she called out to him before he could climb into the driver's seat. "Here, you should have it back. I don't know, pawn it or something."

Johanna slipped the wedding ring from her finger and placed it on the palm of his hand. His mother had chastised him and Gale had bought the rings for them at the last minute, presenting it to her moments before they signed their marriage certificate. Gale looked down at his hand before his fingers closed around the plain wedding band.

"Goodbye, Johanna."

XxX

The ticking of the wall clock in their kitchen felt like an ominous countdown to what seemed like the fracture in their marriage. Effie sat on the floor, hugging Tristan close to her chest as she rocked back and forth.

"I am married, I am married," she whispered. "I am Effie Abernathy, and I am married to Haymitch."

Tristan sat stilled in Effie's arms, his grey eyes wide as he stared up at his father.

"Effie," Haymitch called her name gently. He knelt in front of her as he tried to coax her back to him. "Sweetheart, you're choking your son."

Effie blinked and loosened his hold. Haymitch extracted Tristan out of her arms but the boy remained close, standing next to his father. Ethan ambled over and for once, the child was quiet. He stood next to his mother and stroked her hair, the same way she stroked his hair when he had a stomach ache.

"Keep doing that, tiger," Haymitch nodded and smiled at Ethan. "Hey, hey, sweetheart, look at me."

She did as he asked. Her eyes were filled with anguish and they were red from crying.

"I know it sounds bad," he tried. Comforting people wasn't really his forte but he was learning. The boys always needed comforting and he had gotten some practice. "But crying won't do you any good. You're making the boys worried. We'll talk this out, a'right?"

"They can't do this to me," her voice was a strangled whisper. "They can't make me someone's wife and then take it away from me overnight. They can't."

Haymitch brushed her hair back. "I know you're shock. I am, too. I didn't wake up expectin' this. I never considered this possibility, none of us did. But it's done, Eff, and now we have to learn how to…live with it."

"Do you think people are happy with it?"

"I – I don't know."

"Are _you_ happy? This is what you wanted."

Haymitch sighed. He sat next to her on the floor, stretching his leg in front of him. This scene was reminiscent of the scene before the twins were born when he had sat next to her on their bathroom floor as she moaned and groaned about her morning sickness.

"The truth?" he asked.

She nodded.

"I'm not happy," he said. He glanced down at her, hoping she understood the meaning behind his words but it didn't seem like she did. Effie leaned her head on his shoulder. The boys came to sit at the other side of him. He tried again. "I wanted the law to end, that's all."

"It is an odd feeling to know that our marriage have been annulled because I still feel married to you," she admitted. "I still feel that nothing has changed but everything has."

"We're still their parents," he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. "That'll never change."

"I wasn't prepared for this, mentally or emotionally," she admitted. "I thought… that it would be up to us, that we would have time to work things out after the law ended. This is just shocking. I wonder… I wonder how everyone else is taking it."

"Nobody was prepared for this," he said. His hand never left hers and Effie held on to it, afraid that if she let go, he would leave. "Not once, for the past five years, during any of the appeals did Plutarch or I mention anything about an annulment. I don't know, sweetheart, it feels like a big _fuck you_ from the Government."

"Haymitch! The children!" she admonished him.

Effie thought about what he said and the more she thought about it, the more it felt like the Government was throwing what they wanted back in their faces – nobody wanted the law, so there was no point in any of them being married.

It wasn't fair. Not all of them wanted an end in their marriage. Not her, and not Plutarch or Fulvia, she was sure. They only wanted the law to end in order to help the people. For weeks leading up to the Referendum, Effie had spent sleepless nights thinking about her choices. She was fixated on the third option; mulling the thought of being married to Haymitch for another ten years over and over again. She wanted the ten years to change his mind about her but with this marriage dissolved so suddenly, all of that was for naught. Now, there was no need for her to try and change his mind about a divorce – it was already done.

But there was something she could change his mind about. Effie frowned, remembering a piece of news she had briefly read about in the papers - marriages could be renewed if the couple so desired.

Her eyes widened. This would mean that there was still a chance for her to persuade him except… Effie wasn't sure if that was right. She wouldn't do right by him if she did that.

_Effie, we were _forced_ to get married,_ his words echoed in her mind.

Would persuading him be just like forcing him into a marriage? Was it her trying to manipulate him?

Her eyes darted to him but he was oblivious to her internal struggle as he tried to placate Tristan and assure the boy that "mama's alright, just a little a sad."

_Maybe… If I had the choice, it coulda been you I wanna marry._

That was what he had told her. She remembered the entire conversation.

Haymitch had been so angry because he had been backed into a corner with only two ways out; get married or leave the country. That wasn't a choice, it was an ultimatum. It was no surprise to her that having a sense of control over his life and having the freedom to make his own choices was so important to him because for years, the Capitol had been the one controlling him and even after he had helped topple President Snow, the marriage law was no different.

The annulment was no different either now that she thought about it. The annulment was imposed on them.

Effie remembered Exton's words of advice during their sessions, something he repeated to her again and again – _wherever possible, always try to find silver linings –_ and maybe, maybe this was it. With them no longer bound to each other, if he leaves or if he stays, that would be _his_ choice. She could ask him to renew their marriage, persuade him as much as she could but at the end of the day, the choice was his, just the way he wanted it. She would know then, once and for all, how he truly felt about her, and how important she was to him. If he leaves, she would finally have her answer and she would learn to move on with her life.

"What's going to happen now?"

"We think of the children – you said so yourself – whatever we do, we have to take into account their interest first and foremost," he said. "We have twenty-one days to inform the Courts of the custody arrangements. There's nothin' we can do 'bout us now – not immediately – and we shouldn't… we shouldn't rush into anything."

He didn't outright reject her. He didn't tell her to leave his house. He said that they shouldn't rush things which meant that he was asking her to prioritise and they would think about what would become of them after they had settled the children.

Effie nodded, burrowing further into him. If time was what he needed, she would give it to him.

They sat together on the floor of their kitchen until the sun had wane. At some point, Tristan had brought his colouring book over from the table to the floor and he sat in between his father's outstretched legs, colouring. Ethan sat on Effie's lap, playing with his mother's necklace absent-mindedly.

"Whatever happens, we're a family, Haymitch. We'll always have them," she whispered, running her fingers through Ethan's long locks.

Haymitch nodded and squeezed her shoulder. She relaxed slightly and tried not to think about what was happening outside. The phone was still unplugged and the world outside was a distance away.

At some point, Katniss came over to check on them. She peered through their kitchen window to see them huddled together, and she couldn't find it in her heart to break that moment especially since she herself knew what the Government had decreed so she left quietly only to stop by the geese pen to feed the fowls that had started to make such a racket at the sight of her.

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><p><strong><em>As with Consortium, I will update Divortium every Saturday. So see you next week, and before you go, please do leave a review :) Thanks for reading!<em>**


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello! Thank you for the reviews in the previous chapter. :) I know that some of you left reviews saying you're concern that after all that, there's nothing happy about this fic or that there's no hayffie romance but we're only on chapter 2 so please don't worry too much. If you can just be patient, I promise that there'll be some things in the upcoming chapters that I hope will make you smile and make it worth the read._

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

For Haymitch, the days that followed passed in a blur.

As the person responsible for putting the Referendum in motion and bringing about this change in Panem, Effie urged Haymitch to make an appearance in Town to appease the crowd and to be there for them in whatever small ways that he could.

He listened to parents thanking him because lo and behold, he had done the impossible; he had saved their children from being a breeding stock for the country. He found this highly disconcerting because for years, these people had accused him of never doing enough to save the children in Twelve. Having sense how he felt, Effie squeezed his hand in support.

People came up to congratulate him on the abolishment of the law and invited him over for drinks at the bar or to Greasy Sae's restaurant, and when he politely decline, some even pressed bottles of liquor onto his hands as a gesture of thanks. He accepted them in a daze, mumbled a thank you and moved on through the crowd until he came upon a small group of people.

He felt the shift in energy and mood almost instantaneously. These people glared at him, unhappy that he had failed to give them advance warning about the possibility of an annulment and having the issue of custody weighing down upon their shoulders.

_These whole lot of them must have voted yes for the law_, he decided.

One of them got a little rough and lunged at Effie causing her to lose her footing and toppled back, landing hard on the ground.

"Are you alright?" Haymitch asked as he helped her up. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," she brushed the dirt from her blouse. "Please, Haymitch, do not worry. I'm fine, I really am."

"You attacked my wife like that again, I will break your neck," Haymitch glared at the man.

"She ain't your wife," the man spat. "Not anymore. You know why's that? I'll tell you – all these damn voting and look where we're at. I ain't married, you ain't married. You lost me my wife!"

"I don't know what your problem is," Haymitch grumbled. "You _can_ renew your marriage. That option is available."

"Easy for you to say," the man folded his arms. "Now that our marriage is annulled, she's suddenly gone back on her words and disappeared, ain't she? Promised me she'll stay but she's gone – not interested in being married no more."

"Look, maybe she – "

"The law's the only reason I have a wife - been trying for years and nobody's interested! You took that from me, and now she's gone with my baby. That's _my_ child, too. She promised to stay for the baby. She promised."

"We're sorry to hear that," Effie interjected.

Haymitch had nothing to offer the man especially since he had tried to harm Effie. Effie, on the other hand, gave the man a sympathetic look before hurrying after her husband.

"She probably realised she's free now and took off," Effie mused.

Haymitch threw her a sharp look, the gears turning in his head.

"Why are you staring at me?" Effie asked, dabbing the handkerchief to the small cut on her elbow. "Quickly now, you are scheduled for an interview!"

At Plutarch's behest, Haymitch had consented to an interview and he was regretting it immensely because after all that had happened, he wanted nothing more than to cancel it.

"Do try to smile, Haymitch," Effie urged as she led him over to where Peeta was waiting at entrance to the Community Centre. "I know what happened just now has made you sour but please put a little smile."

"Hang on," Peeta grabbed his arm. "Effie told me what happened – here," he scribbled something on the paper Effie and him had made Haymitch go through the day before, "I've added the bit to say that you knew nothing about the annulment. Better just to get that out of the way."

"Playing mentor, are we?"

"We're still a team, right?" Peeta shrugged and smiled.

In the interview which was aired live throughout the country, Haymitch took the time to thank the people of Panem for their support and for the desirable outcome of the Referendum. He stressed that the abolishment of the law would not have been possible without their votes and wished them well for their future. Just as Peeta had written, he expressed his shock at the Council's move in dissolving all marriages under the law and reiterated the fact that neither he nor Plutarch had any inkling the Council intended for it to be in place at all.

As the interview was winding down to an end, Haymitch froze when he was asked about what will become of his family. Before he agreed to the interview, Plutarch had given his word that no questions pertaining to his family would form part of the interview. On hindsight, Haymitch probably should have expected that the lady would not stick to the script. She was testing the waters and Haymitch did not like it one bit.

"We're working things out," Haymitch deflected the question.

"Mr. and Mrs. Heavensbee have announced that they will be renewing their marriage," the interviewer asked, pushing her luck. "And I'm sure viewers all over are curious to know if you will be, too."

"I've heard about Plutarch," Haymitch nodded, a strain smile on his lips. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Peeta throwing worried glances at the interviewer. "He called to inform me of that himself."

Effie and Haymitch along with their two sons had been invited to Plutarch's and Fulvia's wedding, which made no sense to Haymitch whatsoever why there was even a need for another wedding ceremony.

"Since the marriage certificate we were under isn't valid anymore and we're signing a new one, it will be just like getting married again! Come now, Haymitch, everyone loves a good wedding party," Plutarch said jovially, and Haymitch couldn't help but think that their second wedding would be just as grand as their first.

"I don't see the need – complete waste of resources."

"Never mind that," Plutarch waved his concerns away. "It will not be anytime soon anyway. We will be renewing our marriage first, of course, but the wedding will take place at a later time. Althea is to be the ring bearer but you've seen my daughter, Haymitch, she's just bumbling around on those short feet right now. The wedding will be a disaster! We need some time to let her grow a little more. A few months give or take."

Unless it was about business, a mindless chat with Plutarch was always painful and Haymitch was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the conversation.

"Tragic business this annulment," Plutarch continued. "Very shocking. Fulvia felt the same. It's too sudden. It felt… It came out of nowhere. We can't help but think of Effie. Don't get me wrong, Haymitch, but you have always wanted out so we didn't think it was an issue for you. But Effie… Spare a thought for that poor woman, yes?"

"Don't lecture me, Plutarch," Haymitch growled.

"You and Effie can't be any different than Fulvia and I. We thought there was no sense in changing anything. My wife and I understand each other well. We've known each other and worked together for years, same like you and Effie. We're comfortable with each other and that's what is important, don't you think? Effie is not so bad herself, is she?"

"I wasn't asking for your – "

"Well, anyway, now that we have Althea, Fulvia thought it made sense to renew the marriage, and personally, I am in agreement with her. I have no objections whatsoever. We don't have to renew it, of course, but you know what it's like here in the City. Fulvia's parents will never agree to us just staying together – they're highly old fashion that way – it is not proper," Plutarch breathed into the receiver. "If the both of you are separating, I supposed you have worked out the custody arrangements? You each get one boy? It sounds terrible really to separate the boys. I hope that wasn't the plan and as your long-time friend, I really don't want to see you and Effie separated. We all deserve to be happy, Haymitch."

"Fulvia has parents?"

He had never heard Plutarch mentioned anything about his in-laws and he found that nugget of information interesting partly so that he didn't have to think about the rest of what Plutarch had just said especially about separating his children. He would never do that.

"You decided to focus on that of all things?" Plutarch huffed and went straight to the point this time. "What have you and Effie decided?"

"She's staying," he snapped in irritation.

Effie had not decided anything and he had not spoken to her about staying in Twelve. But since she had been the one to tell him that she didn't want to lose him, he assumed that as long as he did not say anything, she would stay. It was presumptuous. He wanted her to stay but he was finding it difficult to tell her the same.

He should have told her how he felt that morning on the kitchen floor. He should have but he didn't, and he knew why. He had been shocked by the news and when that had passed, he was wary and apprehensive. At the precise moment when it should have mattered most, Haymitch thought that what he felt seemed so pointless. He had spent the entire night internalising his thoughts and tentatively admitting to himself the truth for what he felt for Effie, and he barely had time to come to terms with a realisation so huge when the annulment hit him in the face.

It felt like a punch in the gut. Those thoughts swirling in his mind where his feelings for Effie was concern was so vulnerable in the first place that having his marriage dissolved had shaken him to the core. So he kept quiet about how he felt.

He had always feared losing what was his, and just as soon as he had admitted that he wanted not only his children but Effie too, it was taken away from him. It certainly felt that way. His thoughts went careening back into the past and how Snow had robbed everything from him. It had scarred him and he would forever be cautious of being scarred the same way again.

"You look deep in thoughts," Effie commented, bringing him back to the present. "Are you alright, dear?"

"Fine," he nodded, turning the knob and opening their front door.

Ethan and Tristan came running out from their sitting room to jump into their father's arms. Katniss pretended to be relieved that her babysitting duties were over and jokingly told them how the boys were a handful.

"Come now, darlings, your father is exhausted. Let him rest," Effie took the boys by their hands and led them away. "What shall we do this afternoon? Shall we read? Shall we learn our ABCs?"

He leaned against the doorframe and watched them until they disappear into the boys' room. Haymitch let out a sigh.

On the surface, nothing in this house had changed. They both still sleep in the same bed and they still work together to look after their children but there was a thin layer of tension settling in between them that neither acknowledged. Twice he had tried to tell her how he felt but the words kept getting stuck in his throat. He wasn't one to make emotional declaration and it frustrated him to no end.

He was in such a foul mood that when there was a knock on his front door one evening, he had shouted at the person to leave his property.

"If you're a reporter looking for an interview, I have none to give," he raised his voice. "And under the President's order, you guys ain't permitted at the Village anyway. The ban's still in place. Get out of here or I'll have you reported!"

"Charming," the voice drawled. "Open the door, handsome, this isn't the way you treat family."

"What are you doing here?"

"Visiting," Felix grinned, flashing the perfect row of white teeth when Haymitch yanked the door open. He greeted Haymitch warmly, envelope Effie in a tight hug and handed the boys two huge bags containing toys and more clothes. "That vest is very expensive," he knelt in front of Ethan, "so let your mother hang them up in your wardrobe properly. You can wear them when your parents get married again! That's why I bought it!"

The temperature in the house plummeted to an icy cold. Effie stilled before she recovered and plastered a smile on her face, thanking Felix for the gifts. She hurried away to stow the presents.

"What's the matter? Did I say something wrong?" Felix frowned, turning to Haymitch.

"How's Jo?" Haymitch asked instead.

"She's in Four, called me from Annie's house. She sounds happy."

"That's good to know but what of her husband?" Effie asked when she returned.

"He's gone back to District Two. They're waiting to collect their dissolution certificate once the three weeks is up which is in… two days. That reminds me; have you informed the Courts on the children's custody?"

Haymitch and Effie exchanged a glance.

"Not yet," she answered.

"Not yet? What are you waiting for? The deadline is in two days! You know what will happen if you don't. They're going to assume that there's no resolution and – "

"I know what will happen," Haymitch cut him off. "We planned to have it all done in one day to save us the time – inform the Courts of our custody arrangements and collect our certificates at the same time."

"Why would you collect your certificate? Are you not – "

"You still have to collect them, Felix, whether or not the marriage will be renewed," Effie answered.

"But will it be renewed?"

"Not right now," Effie exhaled. "The children… They're more important."

XxX

The night was quiet except for the owl hooting in the distance and the leaves rustling on the tree branches. The boys were asleep and Effie was curled on the sofa watching a mindless late night show.

On the front porch, Haymitch observed her quietly through the window. It was hard to wrap his head around the fact that the woman with a throw blanket lying languidly on his sofa was no longer his spouse. He had learnt to see her as his wife. It was difficult to see her as he had seen her before; a colleague and just another woman.

It was at that moment that Felix walked out to the porch with a drink in hand and caught him staring.

"Do you love her?" he asked without much preamble, dropping into the empty seat.

Haymitch tore his gaze away from Effie to look at him.

"Doesn't concern you, does it?"

"Ah, that's where you're wrong, handsome," Felix grinned. "She's my cousin; nay, she's more like a sister to me, so of course it concerns me."

Haymitch brought the drink to his lips, turning his back to the window to block Effie out.

"So?" the young man prompted.

"When the law ended, I wasn't… I wasn't going to divorce her," Haymitch stared into the distance. He didn't know why he was even telling Felix but he had never admitted that to anyone before. Nobody had ever asked if he loved his wife, only Felix. "I was going to let her stay."

Felix sputtered, staring up at Haymitch. "Are you… Hang on a minute, are you serious about this?" his eyes widened in surprise. "Does Effie know? Because she told me once when I took her to Four that the plan was for you two to go your separate ways. I always hope that will change."

Haymitch shook his head.

"She doesn't. It was only… It was somethin' I decided the night before the law was dissolved. If anything happen, they will stay here with me."

"But the next day, the Council annulled your marriage and… you're having second thoughts now?"

"Second thoughts?" Haymitch frowned. "No. Whatever I decided didn't matter 'cause someone up in the chain of command will make the decisions for me regardless."

"'Course it matters," Felix inched towards the edge of his seat.

"She's here, ain't she? She's still staying, she hasn't left and I'm not chasing her out. She don't have to worry 'bout that."

"But she doesn't know where she stands with you. She doesn't know what she means to you, does she? You need to be clear with her," Felix implored. "If you want her, then I don't see what's stopping you from renewing your marriage. Nothing'll change – it'll be just like it has always been and the boundaries will be clear – you're her husband and she's your wife."

Haymitch scoffed and rubbed his jaw. "If Effie wanted it, Felix, she would have brought it up already. Not once since we read about the law in the news had she talked to me about it. Fact that she hasn't made me think… Maybe she changed her mind."

_"__She probably realised she's free now and took off."_

Effie had said that about the man whose wife left him. The thought had crossed her mind and it made him wonder if she saw their situation the same way, and if she -

"Changed her – she wouldn't change her mind about something like that. She loves you! You clearly love her. Don't you? I don't understand what -" Felix gave an undignified growl and tugged on his carefully styled hair. Haymitch watched as a lock of dark hair flopped down Felix's forehead be he swept it away impatiently. "You both frustrate me!"

"I consider my duty fully discharged for the night," Haymitch said.

"I don't understand how your mind works or what goes on in your head."

"I'd prefer it if it stays that way," Haymitch took a gulp of whiskey, feeling the liquid burnt down his throat. He saw the look of annoyance crossed Felix's face and when the young man opened his mouth to argue, Haymitch raised a hand, palm facing outwards to stop him. "I sense you're going to be a pain. Fine, you want to know what I'm thinking? I'm thinkin' that she's free from me and I'm thinkin' that maybe she already has a plan in mind about what she wanna do with her life now. If she walks away, I ain't gonna stop her. She's probably right to do so."

Felix looked positively incensed when he heard that.

"You're insane. You run after her and you stop her! Do you not watch movies the Capitol made while you were mentor? Do you not learn from it? See what the guy does in situation like this?"

"Unfortunately, my life isn't an art form. Should have known you're the romantic in the family," Haymitch's lips stretched into a mocking grin before he heaved a breath. "I can't decide her life for her. I ain't nothing like your brother."

"That's why you should _talk_ about it. That's why people communicate in a relationship. You don't make decisions for her and she don't make decisions for you," Felix exclaimed in an exasperated tone that he could barely conceal. "Tell her you want her to stay. It's not that difficult. I don't think it is even necessary to have your marriage renewed. If you truly want her here then nothing else should matter. Just live together with your sons. Sure our aunts back in the City will most likely frown upon that, talk behind her back but that's nothing new and to be frank, we cares about all those old hags anyway. They are _always_ gossiping, always finding faults with Effie and I, and they were positively revolting when Eirene committed suicide; the only one that's perfect to them is Elias."

If Felix was bitter about it, he did not let it show.

"It was easier to say that she didn't want a divorce while we were married," Haymitch shrugged. "She probably didn't want to consider what her life would be if we got a divorce; a "divorcee" doesn't sound nice to the ear, does it? But that's changed now, hasn't it? I wouldn't be surprised if she's finally realising what this mean. It's a whole new life ahead for her - a life without me - and why would any woman in her right mind not want that? A door just opened for her."

"Excuse me, good sir," Felix stared at him, "but did you miss the part where I said that she loves you?"

"See," Haymitch tipped the mouth of his bottle in Felix's directions, "that's the problem right there. What if Effie's just used to havin' me around? And she thinks she's in love with me when in fact, she's just used to this," he gestured towards their house. "I didn't treat her nice since the day I met her - spilled my drink on her dress – she ever told you that? She thinks it was an accident but it wasn't."

"When I learn about why she's an escort, I respected her for what she was trying to do for her sister. I tolerated her and from the very first day we got married, all I've been trying to do was to end it, to get away from her. Love is a dangerous thing, Felix. What would you know? You live your life protected all these while. Nothin' good will come out of me loving her. She'll probably end up dead, as dead my family and my girl. She didn't tell you how a man attacked her while we were in Town today, did she? He was mad at me but, of course, he wasn't gonna attack me – he attacked her instead."

Haymitch didn't know if he loved his girl but he remembered wanting to spend every waking moment with her, exploring things he wasn't allowed to explore before. He remembered how his mind had shattered, the black hole in his chest continuously expanding as he world slowly fell apart when he saw their bodies. The pain had dulled but it came back right at this moment. He felt it so acutely and he didn't want to feel as if someone had ripped his insides out again.

"The past is a dangerous thing," Felix rebuked, his tone scornful. "It does nothing but remind you of your mistakes and increases whatever sense of guilt you have. What matters is _now_ and what happens next. You can't tell me that you honestly believe whatever you have just told me. It's okay to feel scared, everyone's scared of something but you shouldn't let it ruin your life, that's dumb."

Haymitch shrugged. He never expected to be rebuked about living in the past from Felix of all people but that shouldn't surprise him. Felix was the kind of person who takes the day as it is and lives by it without much thought for yesterday.

"If she leaves, I say, good for her," he raised his drink in a mock salute.

"I do apologise for what I am about to say but you are a stupid, _stupid_ man, Haymitch Abernathy. And I know what this is," Felix went on, glaring at him. "I think you have never told her how you felt because you're scared that if she's free now, she'll leave and this time, it wasn't because… Look I don't really know the details of your past, but if she leaves this time, it wasn't because some President ordered her gone. No, this time, if she leaves, it's because she didn't want you and that thought scares you. You are annoying me, I'll have you know, because this is incredibly stupid. Tell me I'm right."

"How honest of you."

"I like you, Haymitch," Felix looked in dead in the eye. "I think you're good for Effie. You haven't realise it yet, probably, but I know you love her, same way you love those children. But Effie doesn't deserve someone who questions the way she feels. I know my cousin, and I know she's not like that. If she loves you then her feelings are true but until you can see that for yourself, perhaps it is in her best interest to return with me to the City."

His grip on the neck of the bottle tightened and Haymitch's head snapped up to pierce Felix with a glare. He pushed himself up, the chair toppling back in his wake.

"Now who's making decisions for her? You listen here – "

"No, you listen to me," Felix stood his ground which was impressive. Felix was tall and scrawny while Haymitch had a few pounds on him, and even with his age, Haymitch could probably take him down. "It's not permanent but I just want _you_ to be absolutely certain of what _you_ want and how you feel for her. If you desire her to be with you then I want to know that's what you really want. Effie's gone through enough. You should know that. If she's not the woman you want and if alone is how you wish to spend your life then having her here will only make it worse."

Haymitch clenched his fingers into a fist, breathing heavily through his nose.

"There are terrible things that could happen to people and pining for a man who does not want her is one of those. I do not wish that upon my worse enemies, least of all my cousin. I'm not… I'm not the bad guy here," Felix's eyes softened and he looked pleadingly at Haymitch, seeking his understanding. "I'm trying not to be one. I hate that you're doubting your own feelings and Effie's too, but my granddad used to say that "it's doubt that drives a man onwards" so maybe you should take this time to work through whatever issues that you have to settle with yourself and find the answers that you need to move forward, hopefully to something better."

"You think I have issues," Haymitch stated.

"Yes. I think you do," Felix nodded. "I'm sorry. I really am. But I think the both of you could use with some time away from each other."

"At the end of the day, it's still up to her."

* * *

><p><em>"<em>_It's doubt that drives a man onward" is from Aleph by Paulo Coelho. _

_Somewhere in this chapter, you're all Felix, right? About how Haymitch is being a little frustrating? Please don't hate Felix, he only meant to do good._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The male goose spread its wings, flapping it aggressively. It was enough of a sign for Haymitch to know that Effie was approaching. Effie had never liked Ethan's favourite goose, claiming the fowl to be loud, obnoxious and rude, and it seemed to have returned Effie's sentiment in kind. The sight of the only female inhabitant in the house would send it squawking loudly, unintentionally acting as an alarm to alert both Ethan and Haymitch to Effie's presence. It gave them just enough time to escape the woman, if need be.

Haymitch smirked and turned his head slightly, spying Effie coming out the back door towards him.

"Oh, be quiet will you, Dasher," Effie snapped at the bird.

"Didn't come out here to feed them - that's for sure," said Haymitch.

"If you want some company while you feed the geese, I will get Ethan for you. Unfortunately, he is occupied making a mess in his room with his Uncle Felix. I came out here for you," Effie told him, coming to a stand next to her husband.

Their hands brushed against each other but she did not reach out for him. He did - lacing their fingers together - and Effie exhaled, a small smile playing on her lips.

"There are too many of them. You should consider selling some to the market in town. They will sell for a good price."

There was nothing more terrifying than being confronted by an angry goose. Effie jumped behind Haymitch, using him as a protective shield when the male goose reared back, spreading its wing and bringing itself up to its full height.

"Think you might have offended him," Haymitch chuckled. "What are you gonna tell your boy when he wakes up one morning, do a head count only to find that some of his geese are missing? That's a conversation that _you'll_ have with him, not me."

"Shouldn't have taught him how to count at this age," Effie joked.

"Said you were lookin' for me – something you wanted?"

Effie stood under the blue sky, hair blowing in the wind before she tied them into a messy chignon, squinting up at Haymitch.

"I like your hair down," he told her nonchalantly.

She smiled and touched his arm, getting his attention. "I wanted to talk. We _need_ to talk," her thumb stroked his inner arm in a calming gesture. "We have to… talk about us, about what we're going to do. I know you want to put this off, that we shouldn't rush into anything but I, at least, need to know where we're headed. You can grant me that, at the very least, can you, Haymitch?"

"Felix talked to you?"

"He did," Effie nodded. "But before that… what did you and Felix talked about last night? Something happened, didn't it?"

Haymitch paused. "You're curious."

"I am curious. He… Felix thinks that I should move back to my apartment. He suggested that we need some time apart to think about what we both want. Why did he say that, Haymitch? It came out of the blue, so sudden and so unexpected. It left me to wonder if something happened yesterday that I should know about."

"Nothin' happened. We were just drinking and we got to talking."

"You didn't… You didn't ask him to take me away from here, did you?"

There was a hint of hurt in her voice that made Haymitch turn to look at her.

"'Course I didn't," he said gruffly. "You can stay - you know that."

Her hand went to the ring on her finger, turning it mindlessly as she always did when she was anxious or thinking deeply about something.

"But is that what _you_ want – for me to stay?"

Haymitch inhaled the morning air and rubbed the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. He took his time hanging the bucket of food on the peg, wiping his hands on his shirt before walking back to where Effie was standing, waiting for him.

"Come on, walk with me," he guided her by the elbow round their house towards their main gate. Effie glanced back at the house, no doubt thinking about the children. "They'll be fine – Felix's there. We won't go far."

They walked hand in hand down the main pathway, passed Peeta's house.

"You remember that mornin' before the law's dissolved? That Sunday we were in bed together," he said, jogging her memory. "Remember what I told you?"

Haymitch stepped in front of her and brushed his thumb over cheek, prompting her to press her face against the palm of his hand. He missed her. It was odd how they could be living together and yet felt far apart. The past few weeks had taken its toll on them without them being aware of it.

"I do," she nodded.

"I said I wanted you," he tore his gaze away, suddenly finding his worn out boots very interesting. "Think you misunderstood what I meant that morning."

Effie cocked her head to the side, her brows furrowed as her mind went back to that morning. She placed a finger under his chin tilting his head up so that he was looking at her.

"You want… You want me to stay?" there was enough hesitation in her voice to let him know that she was trying not to be hopeful but there was a small smile on her lips.

"Yeah," he nodded, relieved. "You're the mother of my children, sweetheart. If you want, you can stay here. I want you to."

The smile slid off her face and Effie stepped back from him. Haymitch blinked, unsure if he had said something wrong.

"Yes," she whispered, "yes, of course, the mother of your children…Is that… Is that all I am to you? Is that all I'll ever be in your eyes?"

"Effie?"

"If I stay…" she trailed off, walking ahead until she reached the small fountain in the middle of the village. Haymitch followed, walking behind her to give her some space. He didn't want to crowd her, not when he was unsure about what she was thinking.

Effie stared at her reflection in the fountain, her hand fluttered up to fleetingly touch the water cascading from one level down to the other. She turned around.

"You're asking me to stay for the children, for their sake," she stated. "Of course that's what you'll ask of me. Don't I mean anything more?"

The last words came out in a whisper, as if she was talking to herself but Haymitch heard it all the same.

"We've known each other for years, sweetheart, 'course we mean something."

"Haymitch," she looked straight at him, lips pinched into a line. Her blue eyes were bright and alert. Her stance told him that she was done skirting through the subject and they were going to resolve whatever that needs to be talked about. "I have seen for myself how miserable people are when they stay together for the sake of their children. Felix's and Elias' parents are an example of those people. It became a game of who could destroy the other first – you can ask Felix, he's right there in our house. Ask him about his parents. He must have been thinking about them when he talked to us about truly knowing what we want."

"I don't want us to renew our marriage on that account," Effie continued and when she saw the stricken look on his face, she added, "_if_ we decide to renew our marriage, that is. It's not something pressing at the moment; we don't have to renew it. We can just stay together and I will stay with you as long as I know that it is for the right reason."

"Aren't the children a right enough reason?" he asked. There was a slight anger bubbling in his chest which he buried deep inside. She wanted to talk and they would talk without the need for him, or for any of them to get angry. "Aren't they good enough for you to stay? I know you're free and you can leave, do whatever you want but I'm saying… I'm asking you to stay."

"For them?" she asked again. "Our children are everything, Haymitch, but did you hear yourself? _'You're free, you can leave, you can do whatever you want'_. I want to be here with you and the boys. You're what I want but the problem is you. You're always going to wonder if I will walk away now that we're not married. You're going to wonder if you should have let me go and if asking me to stay is a mistake because you're going to keep asking yourself if I could have found my happiness elsewhere if you had not asked me to stay. You are going to doubt yourself and you're going to doubt me at every turn. You'll doubt my feelings for you and that is only going to get worse if I stay because of the children. I can't live like this, Haymitch."

Effie heaved a breath after that speech. Haymitch stared at her, the gears in his mind turning as he quickly tried to grasp what she was saying.

"You will think it's selfish of me but… I should think about myself, too. I should take into account about what is good for me, about what is emotionally healthy for me and I cannot… can't have you questioning my feelings for you at every turn. I can't watch you going back and forth about what you want either. You need to be sure."

"No, no," he said in a hurry, grabbing her arm only to promptly release it. Haymitch ran his hand over his hair. "I know what – I don't want us making mistakes, sweetheart. That's why I said we shouldn't rush into makin' decisions. I don't wanna force you into anything but it's stupid to even think that – you won't do anything that you don't wanna do – you're not that kind of woman. I get it if you walk away but I'm just thinking 'bout the children."

Effie held his gaze. There was a flicker determination in her eyes and what she asked him next stunned him into silence. He wondered how long she had wanted to ask that question from him.

"Do you love me?"

"Effie…"

Haymitch swallowed, clenching and unclenching his fist. He had said those words to Myra moments before he left for his Victory Tour even though he wasn't sure if it was love that he felt for her. He was convinced that after he survived the arena, he had been given a second chance and he had blurted it out to her just before he boarded the train to Eleven. When he returned, she was dead. At times, he wondered if she would still be alive if he hadn't said those words but he knew better – they were inseparable and the Capitol would have known it, too.

But he had said the same to Effie the night before the law was abolished. Except she had been asleep that night and it carried no repercussions. It felt like a lifetime ago. The cover of the night made it feel safe, lulled him into a state that made him talk about things he would otherwise not have said before.

She was awake now. He could tell her. He _should_ tell her.

"Sweetheart, you know that I'll do anything to make sure you and the boys are safe."

"I'm very aware of that," she smiled faintly. "But it's not the same. In the hospital after the twins were born, I told you that I don't expect you to return my feelings. I'm afraid that's no longer true. I'm only human and I want more than anything else for someone to love me. I want _you_ to love me," she admitted, finally telling him the very thing that she had guarded close to her heart. "I just… I can't stay here with you and live my life by your side for the sake of the children. I can't do that when all you see me is – "

"Listen to me, Effie," he grabbed her arm again, the urgency swell in his chest. "Listen, listen – I love you."

The words tumbled out of his lips in a rush and it sounded forced. It sounded insincere even to his ears. Haymitch visibly cringed at that, quietly berating himself. Effie didn't deserve that. He could have done better but she took his flinch to mean differently.

The silence that fell around them right after that was deafening and suffocating. Haymitch cleared his throat.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked in a strangled whisper, stepping away from him. "Why – Why are you trying to hurt me so?"

His eyes widened in surprise. _She doesn't believe me._

"I'm not trying to hurt you, sweetheart."

"Are you just saying that because… You have no idea how I longed to hear you say those words to me," she told him. Her voice was surprisingly steady but the lone tear that spilled down her cheek which she wiped away hastily told him what she was truly feeling inside. "Now that you've finally said it, it feels… It feels too much as if I have forced your hand. Are your feelings true or are you merely saying that for the sake of it - so that I will stay for the children?"

"I'm not trying to manipulate you into stayin', if that's what you're saying," he told her.

Haymitch made no move to convince her. What was the point? He had told her at the wrong moment, in the wrong manner and if he wanted her to believe him, he would have to find another way. His head wasn't in the right place.

Effie bit her lower lip, nodding to let him know that she understood about not being manipulated.

"I think Felix's right," she began. "We could both use the time away from each other to think about what we truly want and how we truly feel for each other. I want that for us – we need it. We shouldn't make the decision to stay just for the children. It's true that they need us and it's better if we raise them together but that's not the only reason to be together. I have seen for myself what happened to people who remained by each other's side simply for their children. It is a destructive and toxic relationship, Haymitch."

He rubbed his face, pressing a finger against his temple. He could hear one of the boys' laughter coming from the house. He turned to look.

"This isn't the end," she reached out for him, brushing stray strands of his dark hair back from his face. Haymitch dragged his eyes to focus on her. "It's far from the end. I'm not walking away. We're not leaving each other. We just need some space, some perspective. We can work through this, Haymitch. I believe in us."

"Yeah," he rasped.

"Some time away will be good. It'll clear out head and help us to think about what's best for us, for Tristan and Ethan. They say… They say absence makes the heart grow fonder," she smiled, "and we've never truly been apart during this five years. Perhaps we're crowding each other. It's a good time to take a short break, to breathe."

Haymitch knew she was right. People in Twelve hardly ever got through a divorce; they would separate for a period of time and ultimately get back. But those who did so only for their children, they were miserable and bitter people.

His parents were miserable and bitter people. All these years, he had never told Effie much about his parents' marriage because there was nothing much to say, nothing he was proud of. His mother put a smile on her face for him and his brother. His father became verbally abusive and for years, Haymitch had never understood how or why they were even married. It was only when he grew older that he knew it was all for him and for Lief, and in that regards he did respect them for trying to put their act together for their children.

"Just for a short while," he brushed her cheek. "Like when I sent you to Four a few year ago. We were arguing then and Felix took you for a vacation… It gave us time to clear our heads – that was good, ain't it?"

"It was," she agreed, resting her head against his chest.

Haymitch's arms circled around her, pressing her closer to him.

"That time away from each other, it helped us. It did," Effie said firmly.

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded, his chest rumbled as he spoke.

"Will you kiss me, Haymitch?"

This time, he hesitated. Effie looked up.

"Not one of those goodbye kiss, is it?" he asked gruffly.

"No," she laughed. "No, it's a promise. Kiss me and promise me that we _will_ get through this."

Haymitch dipped his head and captured her lips, framing her face in his hands. The sun shone down on them, bright with the promise of a better future. _We'll come out of this together_, he thought fiercely. Some time away was all that they need; nothing more. His fingers brushed against the nape of her neck, releasing her hair from the messy knot. The breeze whipped it into his face and he sputtered, spitting strands of her hair that got caught in his mouth.

"You still like me with my hair down?"

* * *

><p><em>in the next chapter, Haymitch and Effie goes to the Capitol for custody matters.<em>

_thanks for reading! and let me know what you think of this._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Tristan was asleep on his father's lap with his upper body slumped against Haymitch's chest. In his hand was the crayon he had been using, slack in his grip. The colouring book slipped from his hold and landed on to the floor, catching Effie's attention.

"He's asleep," she told Haymitch, as she bent forward to retrieve the book.

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded.

He pried the crayon from his son's finger and handed it over to Effie before shifting the dead weight until Tristan was fully settled on him with his head on the crook of his father's elbow and his legs across Haymitch's lap.

Ever since he was an infant, Tristan had always been a light sleeper and as his father moved him, it jolted him awake.

"Can we go?" Tristan asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Not yet. It's gonna take a while more and then we can get off the train. Go back to sleep. When you wake up, we'll be at the City," he said. "Or do you wanna join Ethan and your Uncle Felix? They're walking 'round the train – exploring."

The young boy turned sideways, pressing his face on his father's shirt. "Nope. I wanna stay here with you."

Haymitch patted his thigh absent-mindedly, lulling the boy back to sleep. He buried his nose in his son's hair, feeling the soft curls and inhaling the smell of citrus from his shampoo. _Orange-mango smoothie,_ he recalled the label on the shampoo bottle out of the blue.

He snorted.

"What are you thinking?" Effie asked.

"How's a shampoo also a smoothie? Ain't that some kind of fancy drink?" he lifted his eyes to look at Effie. "_Burst of mango tango?'_ Come on."

Effie's brows furrowed in confusion at how random it was. "You're… You're thinking of the children's shampoo?"

"Better than sitting here thinking 'bout what's gonna happen."

There was something in the way he said it that made Effie move from her seat to take a place next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and almost by second nature Haymitch lifted his arm and slung it across the back of the seat. They remained that way until Ethan and Felix returned. Ethan's excited chatter - his words jumbling into one another - filled the silence in the train car.

It wasn't long before the train finally reached the Capitol and it took a few quiet words with Tristan before he was willing to part from his parents to follow Ethan and Felix back to Effie's apartment, leaving Effie and Haymitch to make their way over to the Family and Justice Building.

XxX

The Family and Justice Building was a two story building located at the central area of the Capitol. Ever since the abolishment of the law, it was an unusually busy place. Next to it was the Registry of Marriages.

There were workers outside the two buildings, trying to maintain some order and provide assistance to the people. Signs had been erected, directing people on what to do and where to go.

Haymitch ignored those workers and went straight to a signboard.

"We should collect the Dissolution Certificate before making custody arrangements," he informed Effie after reading one of those signs. "Come on."

Effie's eyes darted around the crowd as she clutched the file containing their marriage certificate and the children's birth certificates close to her chest. Haymitch laid a gentle hand on the small of her back.

"It's that way," he guided her.

"Mr. Abernathy! Sir!"

Haymitch turned at the sound of his name. He saw a young woman weaving through the crowd, pushing a baby stroller and waving in his direction.

"Emily," he nodded and raised his hand in greeting.

She came to stop in front of them, a smile on her face. Emily seemed genuinely happy to see them.

"How are you, dear?" Effie asked and embraced her. "Oh! Look how big your child has grown!"

"It's so good to see you again, Mrs. Abernathy! Never thought I'd bump into you here. What are the odds? Here in the city of all places!"

"I do have this feeling that we may cross paths with some familiar faces here now that there are urgent businesses to attend to after the law," Effie said.

"Oh, I do believe you would. I've met some of my friends here, too. It made waiting for my turn more bearable. There's a long wait ahead, just be prepare!" Emily warned. She addressed Haymitch with a teasing grin, "are you still lurkin' in the library, sir? I do miss that place but I shall see it soon, I hope. I'm gonna be back in Twelve for good once all my affairs are settled."

Haymitch raised a shoulder in a shrug.

"He has no need for the library now that the law's been abolished!" Effie laughed. "You will be returning to Twelve, you say? I'm assuming you will not be renewing your marriage?"

"Oh, I will," she nodded enthusiastically. "I mean, I have. My husband and I, we've just signed our new marriage certificate at the Registry. I'll be movin' back to Twelve with my husband – that was my only request when we decided to renew. He's more than happy to comply."

"I'm glad to hear that. I'm really happy that things worked out for you, Emily."

"Thank you," she smiled. "I sure hope it worked out for you, too. I'd love to stay and chat, Mrs. Abernathy, but I'm sure you have to be somewhere and I don't wanna keep you from it. I'll see you back home soon. I'm looking forward to meeting your twins!"

"I still remember when she turned eighteen, how terrified she was! It's good to know that she'll be okay," Effie remarked as Haymitch steered her towards one of the buildings and into the designated area.

Just as they had been told, the wait for their turn took a while and Haymitch hated waiting. By the end of the first hour, he was growing increasingly impatient.

"It'll be out turn soon. Only three more ahead of us," she tried to placate him. Effie rested her hand on top of his on his knee and slowly, Haymitch began to relax.

XxX

Just as easily as they were married, they were also easily "unmarried". It was a strange concept to have their marriage reversed and dissolved as if it had never happened before; how easily the power above them could do that.

The Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage lay cold on the table, the ink still drying from where they had just signed at the bottom of the paper. Effie jumped slightly when the Registrar stamped the certificate with a wax seal, making it an official document.

Copies were made and the original was handed over to them but when the Registrar held out his hand in exchange for their marriage certificate in return, Effie hesitated.

"We'll keep it," Effie informed him.

"There is no need for that. Your marriage document is invalid."

"We'll keep it," she insisted.

"Effs, there's no reason for you to – "

"Perhaps not, but all the same, _I_ wish to keep it, Haymitch. Will that be a problem?"

"Not a problem," the Registrar sighed, waving Effie off. "Do as you will, Miss Trinket. That is all, you are free to leave."

Haymitch noticed the way Effie flinched at the use of her maiden name and by instinct, his hand came up to reach out for her only to fall back uselessly to his side. There was nothing to say. Effie lifted her chin, smiled at the man and thanked him before making her way to the door.

"It's the Family and Justice Building next, is it not? To settle the custody?"

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded, opening the door for her.

That was another long wait for them. A quick check on his watch showed him that it was late in the afternoon and nearing the close of the business day. Haymitch tapped his fingers on his knees, worried that they might be told to return the next day.

With half an hour to go, they were finally called in. Haymitch waved Effie in impatiently as she scrambled to arrange the papers that were strewn on the empty seat next to her.

"You've gone through the documents countless times. They're in order," he grumbled. "Quickly."

"Good evening," the Registrar greeted. It was a woman this time with greying hair tied into a neat bun. She beckoned them over to take a seat. "May I have the paper works - the Proposed or the Agreed Parenting plan - whichever you have decided on, please?"

When Effie slid the green form of the Agreed Parenting Plan which they had filled up earlier instead of the blue one that was the Proposed Parenting Plan, Haymitch could see the Registrar visibly relax.

"I see that you have both agreed on joint custody."

"Yes," they answered in unison.

"While the care and control of both children," she looked up from the paper, "will go to Miss Trinket?"

"Yes, that's right," Haymitch nodded. "She'll have care and control. The boys will be stayin' with her."

"Very well," the Registrar made some marks on the paper. "It states here that you, Mr. Abernathy, will make prior arrangements with Ms. Trinket for future visitation."

"Yes, ma'am."

The Registrar took a long hard look at both of them, Effie in particular and placed her pen on the table.

"You're aware, of course, that you are not required to make the decision on custody today, especially if you are considering renewal. You have two weeks left. However, in the meantime, I will advise you to record your agreement for joint custody regardless. Custody rights can always be amended at any stage. The children's welfare and interest are of paramount importance to the Department of Family and Social Services, and if custody is not logged in to the system within the stipulated deadline, you will be guaranteed a visit from them. Do you still wish to proceed or – "

"We're aware, thank you," Haymitch said. "We're ah – We're workin' things out. You can put that agreement on record. No need to have the Social Services breathin' down our neck."

"Yes, go ahead," Effie gave her affirmation.

They sat in silence as the woman keyed in their decisions into the system. Effie glanced at him, her hands clasped together.

"We should have that on record," he spoke quietly. "We don't know how long we'll need to figure things out. Best to play on the safe side."

"Now, just one other thing, I need to know if there's also an agreement on how you wish to split your matrimonial properties and assets. Have you filled the necessary forms?"

Effie flipped through her papers in her file and handed the Agreed Matrimonial Property Plan to the Registrar.

The woman smiled as she accepted the form, leaning back in her seat to study the paper.

"I must say, this is one of the most amicable splits I have seen," she praised. "No reason to be surprised, I supposed. You have worked tirelessly to get the law repealed, it only makes sense that the both of you must have had all of this figured out since day one."

Haymitch said nothing to dissuade her of that notion and neither did Effie. It seemed petty to argue over their assets and property, not that there were many to begin with. The house in Twelve was his – not even his actually, but who was keeping count? – and the apartment in the City was hers. Whatever money they had in their joint account which they had set up mainly for the children's benefit would be split in two as agreed, and Haymitch had promised himself that part of his share would go to the trust fund he had set up for the children years earlier.

"Everything has been recorded in the system. That should be all there is to it. We shall require about three to four week to process the paper works, and you'll each receive a copy of the document stating the terms of your agreement from the Courts thereafter. In the meantime, custody arrangements are effective immediately. If you do not receive the Custody Orders a month after today, please call the general office."

With that over, Haymitch and Effie left the office. Since Effie would be the one with the care and control over the children, she went over to the front desk to sign more documents while Haymitch waited for her at the hallway. He leaned against the wall, watching her when a movement at the corner of his eyes caught his attention.

Haymitch turned to see Elias sneering at him. He pushed himself of the wall and planted himself in the middle of the hallway. If Elias wished to get to Effie, he would have to pass by him.

"You're not going anywhere near her."

"I don't wish to," Elias spat and walked off.

XxX

On the sofa, Ethan sat at the edge, his legs swinging back and forth, as he licked the ice-cream Haymitch had bought for the boys. He watched his father and his brother.

Tristan's ice cream was left forgotten on the coffee table as he stood in front of his father, on the very verge of tears.

"You're not stayin?" he asked, blinking in confusion. "Why can't I come?"

"We've talked 'bout this, you remember? I gotta go back to Twelve, and you gotta stay here with your ma. We'll talk to each other every day, alright? You'll call me, won't you, peanut?"

"But… But I don't know how to use the phone, dada."

Haymitch chuckled. "You mother will teach you. It ain't that hard."

"But I don't wanna stay here! I wanna go with you."

"Come on, Tristan," Haymitch rubbed his face tiredly. "Don't make it difficult. You'll stay here for a little while with your brother and your ma. It's gonna be … It'll be fun. Uncle Felix will take you out. He told me he would. He'll get you more colouring books," said Haymitch.

He nudged the boy lightly, trying to put a smile on his son's face.

"It's just for five days," Effie chimed in, lifting up her hand and showing five fingers. "Then dada will visit again. He won't forget. I will call him to remind, I promise."

"When's five days?" Ethan asked, hopping off the sofa to join his brother.

"Saturday – end of the week," Haymitch answered. "You'll look after each other for me, won't you, tiger? Especially your mother."

His eyes flickered up to Effie and she smiled at him indulgently.

Ethan nodded. "Okay."

"Good man," Haymitch ruffled his hair.

"But dada, Sunday is after Saturday. Right?" he frowned, trying to make sense of the days of the week. "So we can't have pancakes on Sunday 'cause… 'cause you're here on Saturday."

"I'll stay over the weekends – that's _both _Saturday and Sunday. You're _still_ making pancakes on Sunday, aren't you?" he asked Effie and she nodded. "See, nothing's changed much. We're still gonna have pancakes for breakfast on Sundays. You know your ma doesn't change her schedule on a whim."

Haymitch didn't give them a chance to reply. The longer they talked, the more difficult it would be to leave for the train station. He gathered both boys close and kissed their heads.

"Be good for her, don't get in trouble."

Ethan wriggled out of his father's grasp, same way he did as a toddler whenever someone tried to carry him. Tristan didn't let go. He clung to Haymitch, pressing his face on his father's neck.

"Say goodnight to your father, Tristan," Effie said softly. "You don't have to say goodbye, just wish him goodnight. What do you always tell dada before you go to bed?"

"I love you," Tristan choked out, his voice muffled.

"Yeah," Haymitch said thickly. He swallowed the lump in his throat and patted the boy's back. "Yeah, me too, peanut. I'll see you in five days, okay?"

Effie walked him to the door so they could talk without the children overhearing their conversation.

"Remember what we talked about. This is only for a little while, just some time away from each other," he framed her face in his hands, his thumb brushed lightly over her cheek.

"Only temporary while we both think about what we want," Effie nodded in agreement. She gripped his wrists, her blue eyes fixed on his. "I'm not giving up on you."

"That's a relief," he teased. "You tell the boys that – "

"They can call you anytime they want, and you promise you'll answer the phone," she completed his sentence. "And I have to tell them that I will, of course, let them talk to you every day. I remember what you said, Haymitch."

He smirked at her. "Good. Ethan's gonna miss his geese. Try not to mention his geese if you can avoid it but if it comes up, tell him I'll take good care of them until he can come over to visit."

"Stop worrying," she implored, pecking his lips to silence him. "Sometimes I think, we exchanged personality over the five years."

"That's a horror," he mumbled before kissing her cheek.

He kept his gaze fixed in front of him as he walked away towards the elevator and it was only when he heard the door to her apartment closed shut that he looked over his shoulder. He believed her when she said that she would not give up on him. He had given her so many reasons to quit on him over the two decades that they've known each other but she never did.

* * *

><p><em>Now that things are how I want them to be, the story will pick up some pace. And I'm very excited for you guys to read next week's chapter because someone's coming back with something up the sleeve! :)<em>

_Thanks for reading and please leave a review._

_(there's really a shampoo with the tag line 'burst of mango tango')_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Soon after President Paylor announced the abolishment of the law and the subsequent dissolution of all marriages under the law, there was only one pressing matter on Elias' mind – his properties. His marriage to Thalia was the glue that held most, if not all, of his assets together. Granted, those assets in questions also belonged to his wife, but he viewed it mostly as his.

Following the announcement, Elias flew from the resort in Four to the Capitol, and made his way to the title deed's office to ensure that everything was in order.

There was a reason their marriage worked for the past five years. Elias and his wife were of one mind in most occasions. In fact, the success of their 'marriage' was probably because of how they viewed it. It wasn't so much of a marriage as it was a business partnership.

Just as his concerns swirled around his properties, so did Thalia's. When he returned home, his wife, or rather, his ex-wife as things stood at the moment, was waiting for him. Elias could tell that she was not happy but that was the least of his worries. His main goal was to convince her to renew the marriage and secure the money. Unfortunately, this was the rare occasion that she wasn't in agreement with him.

"It will work out, honey. I give you my word. Just follow me to the City when the time comes and we shall renew our marriage. Nothing will change," Elias implored.

Her eyes flashed at his audacity.

"The nerve of you! Did you know what I found out, darling?" she pressed her lips together. Her voice had taken on a sickly sweet tone "It's come to my attention that you tried to change the title deed for our land in District Seven to your sole name. Am I wrong, Elias? Word has it that you tried to pay off the clerk."

Elias snorted. He slipped one hand casually into his pocket as he turned his back on her, pouring himself a glass of whiskey.

"Wherever did you hear such false rumours?"

"Oh, don't try to pretend any longer!" she spat, slowly losing her temper. "You know very well those rumours are true. The land in District Seven was in our joint name. That is _our_ joint project. My father funded that project and you – you! What a fool I was to have included your name in it, too. It should have just been under mine."

"Come now, there is no need for this -"

"You will put a stop to this immediately, Elias. You will call the title deed's office and tell them that there has been a mistake. Your _forged_ my signature! I never consented to the title deed being under your sole name. We had an agreement. My father…," she was distressed and Elias watched her, amused. "He will be absolutely angry when he finds out."

"He doesn't have to find out, darling. It's simple really," he drawled, taking a seat on the armchair with his leg crossed in front of him. "We'll renew our marriage."

"You're using our land as a threat to get me to marry you?"

"_My _land," he smirked. "That'll be my land by tomorrow. If we're married, darling, our assets and our properties will never have to come under the light of days. Think of how much money we've made from our ventures. Do you really want to lose them all? Think of the marriage as a protection."

"Our resort in Four is still under our joint name," Thalia pointed out without a thought. Her eyes widened as she slowly began to realise just what was happening. "So are the bank accounts for that project. If you try to do what you did with the title deed in Seven to the resort in Four and to our bank accounts, you'll get caught. You only have Seven in your pocket but you want more. You always want more. So this is your plan - for us to get married so that your shares in the resorts are safe?"

He swirled the ice in his glass with a condescending smirk on his face. It only confirmed her suspicions.

"You greedy, son of a bitch," she hissed. "You think that after what you've just done, I will renew my marriage with someone like you?"

"You understand what will happen if you refuse to renew the marriage, yes? All that we own under our name will have to be divided and split. Think for a second," he leaned forward in his seat. "What of the resorts? The share in Klaus' company? We'll be losing millions and millions of dollars. It'll be messy. Renew the marriage," Elias tipped his glass, "and you'll get to share the profits for the project in District Seven – the one that's under my name now. I'm being generous here, honey."

Thalia scoffed.

"Unbelievable. Klaus' company? We're talking of the same Klaus Adler whose company you failed so spectacularly to secure? Where's our extra five percent, Elias? I heard your cousin is still living with that drunk, so until you've managed to sell her to him and get our share, don't talk to me about Klaus' company. All that talk about taking over his company and you've got nothing to show for it," she laughed derisively.

Elias slammed his glass on the table and stood up, advancing on her. His nostrils flared in annoyance at the reminder of his failure.

"And that project in Seven? You may be in the process of having that changed to your name but trust me, if you think that I will let you get away with it, you are sorely mistaken. That land was funded by _my_ father through _my_ account. It wasn't a gift to you, it never was. And on that basis alone, it will form part of our matrimonial assets and I will stake my claim on _all_ of it."

"You _will_ renew this marriage with me," he grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her to him until their faces were inches apart. "

"Most definitely not," she turned her nose at him. "You're despicable and we don't love each – "

"This marriage was never about love!" he screamed, tightening his hold on her. It would leave bruises on her arm tomorrow. "Do you take me for a fool? I don't care for something as trivial and as sentimental as that."

Thalia struggled against him and Elias blinked. In an instance, his entire demeanour changed. It was frightening to see him.

"Darling, darling," he crooned, rubbing her arm soothingly. "Let's not forget why we agreed to this marriage in the first place. Sure, the law was a hassle but we made good of the situation. We were ruthless in the industry. We made good money together. We're an excellent match, surely you can see that? The resort in Four is booming and we're developing Seven into a good holiday destination. Think of the money, darling. Think of the properties we'll have _together!_"

"I'm _not _renewing this marriage, Elias," Thalia asserted.

It happened so fast. She never thought Elias was capable of it but one moment she was trying to free her arm from his grasp and the next, she had crashed into the small table behind her. The vase fell on her head, the water drenching her hair. Thalia shook her head to clear her sight as she pressed her hand on her temple.

"You're a horrid man," she shouted, hurling the biggest shard of glass in his direction.

Elias ducked in the nick of time. His eyes were filled with sparks of fury and Thalia knew he would not back down without a fight.

"If you destroy me, I will do the same to you."

XxX

The argument they had at the Family and Justice Building was unpleasant. The Registrar threatened to call security on multiple occasions unless they agreed to have a civilised conversation.

Elias demanded an eighty percent share on all of the properties under their joint name claiming that Thalia had little involvement in the planning and the building of the resorts in Four. Thalia called for the return of her name to the document for the land in Seven. They spent nearly two hours in the office of the Registrar shouting at each other and when no resolution was reached, the Registrar dismissed them, setting a hearing date for a formal judgment from the Courts with regards to their assets.

"Get yourself a lawyer, Elias, because I'm coming for everything," Thalia hissed. "Including our house here in the Capitol."

He gritted his teeth. He wanted to avoid going to Court because once that happen, all of the account books will be laid bare. It wouldn't do him any good especially because what he did with the title deed was illegal. He could be charged for fraud and forgery.

"Alright," he tried, keeping his tone civilised. "We'll go back in there and tell the Registrar we've agreed to split everything equally."

Thalia sneered at him. "Too late, darling. My father's already aware of this. You'll have nothing by the end of it. You will lose _your_ business - the one you so painstakingly built even before we were married – just to pay for my lawyers' fee when you lose this in Court."

Elias watched her walk away. He was under threat from a woman he had spent five years of his life with and he was under a massive amount of stress. Elias fumed. He quelled the urge to kill her, to chase after her and strangled the life out of her. He wanted to destroy something.

Angry and mad, Elias made his way out towards the main corridor and that was when he saw Haymitch Abernathy walking out of a Registrar's office, his hand on the small of Effie's back.

"Well look at that," he muttered under his breath. "Don't you both look happy?"

Elias stopped where he was, his eyes fixed on Haymitch who was leaning against the wall clearly waiting for Effie. His gaze went past Haymitch to see his cousin with her head bent low, signing papers.

_"__I heard your cousin is still living with that drunk, so until you've managed to sell her to him and get our share, don't talk to me about Klaus' company._ _All that talk about taking over his company and you've got nothing to show for it."_

He could still hear Thalia's mocking laughter in his head. He could see her condescending sneer and it fuelled the rage in his heart. He could not stand to be mocked. He would not be belittled. He had not failed, not yet, there was still some fight left in him. He would show Thalia just how wrong she was.

Elias had not spoken to Effie for weeks since before the voting. He truly had no idea what was going on with his cousin or what her situation was with Haymitch. Perhaps Felix would know but it was tiresome to talk to his little brother, and there were better things to do than to pretend that he cared about what Felix was up to.

He didn't know if the man who instigated the Referendum and brought about the end of the law had renewed his marriage with Effie but the sight of them annoyed him greatly. All he saw was red.

Elias always thought Effie had a good head on her shoulder, smart and reliable, but she had chosen the drunk from Twelve over someone whom _he_ deemed fit for her. That itself proved to him that his cousin was gone past saving. Prolonged exposure to the barbarism of the districts had clearly addled her brain, he thought. Klaus could have given her a good life, and he could have given _him_ a share of the company. It felt like a betrayal from his own family to see Effie stand by Haymitch's side. _And_, he thought savagely,_ it was her husband who brought an end to the law._ True Elias had offered his help to end the law, but he had only agreed to have the law abolished just so he could give Effie off to Klaus. He was only willing to help see the law come to an end _if_ - that was his only condition – Effie went to Klaus but that did not happen because Klaus was a sentimental fool and Effie was too loyal to Haymitch. Elias had not once considered that his marriage would be dissolved when the law ended, and he wasn't expecting his properties to be in jeopardy.

At the end of the day, he would not be in this position if it wasn't for them. They drove him to this. They cost him a lot of money when they ended the law.

If he was going to lose everything, so would they. He would destroy them, the same way their law was about to destroy his business. Elias Lewis was beyond reasoning.

It was at that moment that he locked eyes with Haymitch. Elias sneered.

"You're not going anywhere near her," Haymitch growled, standing in between him and Effie.

Elias chuckled to himself. Near the very same cousin that had cost him so much?

"I don't wish to," he spat.

XxX

The house was too quiet.

The last time Haymitch was surrounded by this same kind of silence was more than five years ago. There was no childish chatter, no feminine laughter and no indignant shrieking as the boys fought over something or the other. There was no conspiratorial whispers in the corner of the room where the boys sat huddled together, planning some mischief that would rile Effie up. All he could hear was his own breathing and the sound of the geese outside.

There was once a time when he was used to an empty house, and the silence was his cloak but it was making him uncomfortable now. Haymitch stepped over Ethan's Lego set and made his way to the porch where he sat and drank the bottle of vodka that Effie had watered down. Haymitch stared at the children's lunch table under Effie's tree, over to Effie's garden swing and the children's swing set.

Tristan's tricycle was lying on its side and with a grunt, Haymitch finally pushed himself off the chair and righted the tricycle, arranging it nicely next to Ethan's blue one. It was easier to differentiate the boys' belongings now that they each have their own preferences. Blue was Ethan's favourite colour and Tristan preferred anything red.

Inside the house, the phone rang and Haymitch nearly tripped over a loose stone as he hurried inside to answer the phone.

"Hello," he answered, slightly out of breath.

"Dada!"

_Tristan,_ he smiled to himself. "Hey, peanut."

"Ma said I can call after I brush my teeth. I already brushed my teeth."

Haymitch craned his neck to look out the window even though he just came from outside. The sun was only starting to set but since the Capitol was a few hours ahead, Effie was probably getting the children ready for bed.

"Your father picked up?" he heard Effie's voice in the background. "Tristan, did your father answer the phone?"

There were some muffled noises at the back and knowing Tristan, he must have left the phone dangling off the hook to run to his mother so he could answer her question. Soon enough, he heard his son's footsteps getting louder as he return.

"What's she doing?" Haymitch asked when Tristan got on the phone again.

"Helping Ethan. He's so stubborn!" the boy complaint. "Ethan said he doesn't want her to brush his teeth. He wants you, dada, so he's sittin' on the floor with that weird face."

"His pouting face?" Haymitch chuckled. "You know you and your brother look alike, yeah? What'd I say 'bout callin' your brother weird?"

"It means… It means I'm callin' me weird, too," he said sheepishly. "I'll say sorry. Oh, tomorrow's a big, big day! Mama said so. Uncle Felix's gonna bring us to see fishes!"

"See what?"

"Fishes. At the... at the...," in the background he heard Effie quietly told Tristan what he was grappling to say and to which he repeated it to his father, "the aquarium."

"Oh, that's... that's great. Sounds like fun."

Haymitch tried to muster some enthusiasm for him but he simply couldn't. His eyes fell on the sofa, at the very spot Tristan liked to claim as his.

"Ethan wanna talk. Mama said we gotta take turns. Bye, dada! I miss you."

"Already?" Haymitch teased.

"It's been _hoursss,_" the boy whined. "I'll tell you all 'bout fishes tomorrow!"

"My turn!" Ethan demanded. Haymitch pressed the receiver closer to his hear listening to them squabbling.

"Hey, don't… Don't get rough," he said into the phone, hoping one of them could hear him. "Ethan? Your brother's giving you the phone, son, don't – "

The phone passed from one hand to the other and then Ethan's enthusiastic voice came over the receiver. "Hi!"

"Hey, tiger. What happened?"

"Tristan told me you're not on the phone anymore. I got angry 'cause he's lying."

"That's not very nice of him. He's just playing with you but I'll talk to him 'bout it tomorrow, okay? Heard you're gonna go to the aquarium tomorrow."

"Yeah, but I don't like fishes. They're boring. They just swim around. Where are you?"

"I'm … I'm at home."

"Home where?"

"At home, tiger, in Twelve. I told you I had to take the train home, remember?"

"I thought you were gonna go a while, like, when you go to the market to buy milk when mama told you so 'cause you finish it up. So I waited and waited and waited, and you never come home, and I had to brush my teeth with mama for two days! You always help me brush my teeth."

Ethan sounded disappointed. The boy didn't cry, thankfully but Haymitch had to bit his lip to stop himself from breaking down. His chest ache and he gripped the receiver tight in his hand until his knuckles turned white.

"I'll help you on Saturday, alright?" he said instead.

"And we never said g'night to Dasher either. Did you say g'night to Dasher?"

"Oh, yeah, not yet. I'll do that after I hang up."

"Okay. And you must say good morning, dada! Also, you gotta feed him first 'cause he don't like it if you don't feed him."

Like his mother, if given the chance, Ethan could ramble on unless someone put a stop to him. Haymitch was usually the one to stop him but not today. Tonight, he wanted to hear his son talk.

"You musn't forget 'cause… 'cause he gets very, very, hungry at night and you don't let me feed him at night so you must feed him really early in the morning, okay, or he'll get real sad and he'll chase mama and she doesn't like it when he makes noise, remember?"

"Yeah, tiger, I know," he told the boy.

They had been feeding the geese together since he was a toddler and by now, Haymitch knew his son's routine by heart. It always starts with wishing the male goose, Dasher, a good morning. They would feed it first at Ethan's insistence because Dasher's his favourite before scattering the food for others.

"'kay, that's all. I have to sleep now. Bye-bye!"

"That's all you wanna talk to me 'bout? Your goose?"

"Ummm."

"Tell your father that you miss him before you hang up, darling," Effie said.

"Mama said I gotta tell you that I miss you. I miss you. I really wanna see you."

Haymitch laughed although it sounded strangled.

"So do I. But now, you go to bed."

* * *

><p><em>To avoid confusion: The first part with Elias and his wife took place <em>_immediately_ _after the law ended. In Consortium, there was a brief mention of Elias expanding his business with his wife to District Seven. And in the second part with Elias, it brought you back to the current events where we see Haymitch cross paths with him at the Family and Justice Building. I hope that's clear!_

_I know there's no interaction between Effie and Haymitch but in the next chapter, you get fluff! A whole chapter of fluffy goodness._

_Thank you for reading and leave a review :)_


	6. Chapter 6

_I would have posted it on Saturday as usual except the site was down for nearly the entire day yesterday. Anyway, this is a very long chapter! A chapter full of fluff which I'm very excited for you guys to read. So i do hope you like it!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

If there was something they easily fell into, it was falling into a routine.

They were good at it since the first day they met except back then, it was a vicious cycle of insults and fights. It was different now.

Now that they were living apart, it was normal to find them talking on the phone long into the night. It became a routine. Once the children had gone to bed, Effie would give him a call. She would settle in on her bed, feet beneath the covers, cosy and ready to fall asleep, and they would talk just so he would be the last voice she heard. Haymitch would sit on the kitchen stool, a drink in hand as he cradled the receiver on his shoulder, talking to her.

Despite their distance, Effie still managed to fuss over him and he let her.

"You're eating, yes?" she asked. "I hope you're not missing meals just because the children are not there get you to the dinner table."

"You worry too much," he scoffed. "How are the children doing? You're okay with them?"

Effie sighed.

"You are always better with them especially when they're arguing. They're scared of you so they listen to you more."

Haymitch snickered. "Yeah, but they love you more – you're the one who cuddles them and give them kisses when they do somethin' good."

"Don't say that," Effie admonished. "I don't want to hear such things ever again. They don't love one of us more than the other. They love us both equally. We're their parents, Haymitch."

"Sorry," Haymitch mumbled.

"We're better together. They're much more disciplined when we're both present."

"Sure but we have to teach them that they shouldn't misbehave just 'cause one of us isn't around."

"My, my, Haymitch," Effie said. Even though he couldn't see her, Haymitch could tell that she was smiling just from her voice. "I'm proud of you. What you said… you're a good father, you know? I want you to know that."

Haymitch scratched his jaw, uncomfortable with the compliment. "Go to sleep, sweetheart. It's late."

"No, no, stay on the phone with me."

"I ain't gonna stay on the phone just so you can fall asleep on me like you did yesterday," he grumbled. "Hang up and go to sleep."

"If you wanted to, you would have hung up already. You want to talk to me."

She sounded smug. Haymitch frowned. Effie could be a tease, he knew that, but this playful banter was new. He wasn't sure how it came about but it was different. Something was different between them.

"Fine," he snorted. "I'm hanging up - goodnight."

"Haymitch…" she called out softly. Her voice was laced with sleep. "You're still here."

He blinked at that, surprised. Haymitch had been listening to the sound of her breathing, unaware that he was even doing so, but he was trying to discern from the pattern if she had indeed fallen asleep on him.

"Going now – I'll see you," he muttered, slightly embarrassed, and this time, he ended the call.

XxX

Even before the train came to a complete stop, Haymitch was already standing by the door, his duffel bag on the floor next to him. The moment it pulled into the station and it was safe to alight, he was the first passenger to exit.

The train station was busy as usual. Someone had thought it was a good idea to open up shops at the train station but Haymitch felt that it was a mistake. It only made the station busier and packed with people.

"Flowers for you, sir? Fresh flowers!" someone shouted over the din, promoting his items. "Fresh flowers!"

Haymitch paused. The shop had a few patrons but the young man noticed his presence and hurried over.

"Anything I can help you with, sir? We've got fresh flowers. Please, sir, get some for your lady. She will love it. These are excellent quality, only the best."

There were too many flowers spread out before him, too many colours and too many smells which was starting to get to him. He knew nothing about flowers and the choices were just confusing him. In the end, it wouldn't matter which flower he picked as long as he came with some, he thought.

"Just give me … something. Five stalks – those yellow ones," he pointed randomly. "What are those?"

"Yellow marigold, sir, an excellent choice! But only five stalks? I'll charge you a good price if you get a whole bouquet."

"Five's enough."

"Very well."

The man whistled a happy tune as he wrapped the flowers in a nice wrapping sheet before giving it over to Haymitch.

"Can't you put it in a paper bag?" Haymitch asked. The thought of walking around the Capitol holding flowers was not something he wanted the lurking paparazzi to see.

"No, sir, absolutely not! It will damage the flowers. Your lady will not appreciate it otherwise," he said, accepting Haymitch's money.

"They're actually for my son."

On the second night, Ethan had called. He was terribly upset that he couldn't find flowers where he was. Effie's apartment was on the tenth floor and she wasn't about to let her son wander around in the morning looking for flowers. The streets in the City were not as safe as Twelve. The twins spent most of their time in Effie's apartment and Ethan, who loved the outdoors, found it unbearable especially since it broke his morning routine of getting his mother a stalk of flower from Peeta's garden before breakfast.

Now that he had bought something for Ethan, Haymitch felt obligated to get something for Tristan. Effie was always adamant that it was important for them to act fairly and treat the boys equally which meant that if one of them received something, the other would, too.

Haymitch walked down the station, his eyes roamed the place for something to catch his attention, something Tristan would like. It didn't take long before he came to a fruit stall. Strawberries was not only Tristan's favourite, it was also Effie's.

Haymitch smirked.

XxX

Haymitch could hear Effie's voice as he walked along the corridor to her apartment. Her voice was raised, calling out to Ethan to stop doing something or the other. Haymitch hurried along, eager to meet them.

"Half the neighbourhood can hear me screaming, Ethan! Get off the sofa! I will not tell you again, young man."

"Didn't I say to be good, tiger?" Haymitch asked, entering the threshold. He glanced at Effie, "you really should learn to lock the door, sweetheart."

At the sight of him, Ethan screamed. He was scaling the back of Effie's sofa but quickly abandoned it for his father.

"Dada!" he exclaimed, jumping into Haymitch's arms.

It made Effie clucked her tongue at his behaviour. Haymitch picked him up and Ethan's arm quickly wound around his father's neck.

"Did you feed Dasher first like you promised? Does he miss me?" Ethan asked but before Haymitch could even answer, he had moved on to another topic altogether. "We went to the playground yesterday but there's no sandbox like home. I don't like it much."

"You don't like a lot of things," Haymitch pointed out, nuzzling his nose in his son's hair.

"Can you take me to get flowers? Mama wouldn't!"

"I got you some flowers from the train station."

Haymitch raised his other hand to show Ethan what he brought and the boy's eyes lighted up almost immediately. He made a grab for it.

"Ethan Abernathy!" Effie shrieked. "Have you forgotten your manners, young man?"

"May I please?" he asked meekly, looking abashed. For added measure, he kissed his father's cheek as a thank you.

Haymitch let him down and handed Ethan the flowers he had been eagerly waiting for.

"For you, mama," Ethan held it out proudly. "There's…" he peered at the stalks in his hands, trying to count. It took him a while so Haymitch whispered the word to him. "Five… five flowers … for five days, just like dada promised!"

"So it's for Monday to Friday? What about today, baby? Today's the sixth day," Effie teased. "Don't I get a flower for Saturday?"

Ethan froze, staring at the flowers in Effie's hand. He started frowning then as he turned to Haymitch.

"No flowers today, dada?"

"Oh, sweetheart, come on," Haymitch sighed. "You're not making things better."

Effie laughed. She thanked Ethan and kissed her son's head.

"Go and get your brother, will you? I don't think he knows your father is here," she instructed. When he ran off, Effie turned to Haymitch. "I love the flowers, Haymitch, thank you. They're beautiful."

She hesitated, wondering for a second if a peck on the lips or the cheek was more appropriate. Haymitch could see it in her eyes as the thought crossed her mind. He waited for her to make the move. In the end, she settled for a quick kiss on his lips. He would have given her a proper kiss if he wasn't worried the boys might walk in on them.

"I got those flowers for Ethan, you know that, right?" he told her quietly as his hands came to rest on her waist.

"Ah, yes," she smiled in amusement. Her blue eyes twinkled up at him, indulging Haymitch's little game. "Of course it was for Ethan."

Where his brother was loud, Tristan greeted Haymitch with a quiet, "hello."

Haymitch tore his gaze away from Effie to kneel in front of his son.

"Hey, peanut," he spread his arms. Tristan stepped into them. Like his brother, he clung on to Haymitch's neck as he stood up, bringing his son with him. "I miss you," he whispered it quietly in Tristan's ear.

"Me too," the boy replied softly.

He carried Tristan over to the sofa where they settled next to each other. Tristan pulled his colouring book and started showing the pictures he had coloured, and once Haymitch had seen them all, Tristan tugged a piece of paper wedged between the pages of the book. He gave it to Haymitch.

"Mama said my drawing is pretty," he told Haymitch proudly, chest puffing out a little.

"I don't think it's pretty," Ethan chimed in, grinning at his brother. "It's not, it's not, it's not."

Tristan scowled, throwing his brother a dark look. It was cute, Haymitch thought, and he reserved the term 'cute' only for his sons.

"Come now, baby, we'll look for a vase to those pretty flowers in," Effie stepped in, ushering Ethan away before a fight could break out.

With Ethan gone, Tristan tapped the drawing in Haymitch's hand, trying to get his father's attention.

Ethan was right. It wasn't that pretty but it was his son's work and Haymitch would convince anyone that it was a good piece of art even if the drawing was of two disproportionate human beings. Still, he recognised those people in the drawing. It was him and Tristan sitting on Effie's garden swing.

"I miss you a lot," Tristan said, snuggling up to his father. "So Uncle Felix told me to draw you a present. When can we go home, dada?"

He glanced at his son.

"I don't know, peanut. This is a… It's nice. You're gonna be like your Uncle Peeta one day. He paints nice things."

"Da," he sighed impatiently. "I didn't paint it like Uncle Peeta. They're not the same. Don't be silly."

This child was worse than his mother sometimes.

"You know, I think you're much shorter than that," Haymitch said with mock seriousness, pointing to the drawing. "You're not cheating 'bout your height, are you?"

Tristan giggled. It made Haymitch smile to hear that.

"Listen, I got you something, too. You have to share it, alright? Especially with your mother 'cause you know she loves those."

Haymitch's eyes strayed over to Effie as he handed Tristan the packet of strawberries from the paper bag. At the sound of her name, Effie glanced around curiously. She chuckled when she saw what Haymitch had bought.

XxX

The twins' two single beds had been pushed together against the wall, forming a large bed. Haymitch collapsed on it, his arms spread wide. Ethan squealed, jumping up and down the bed excitedly.

"Don't let your mother see you do that," Haymitch warned.

Their room used to be Haymitch's. Well, it wasn't actually his. It was the guest room but he would occupy it during the Games if he happened to be at her apartment for work related matters. The room was different now.

Effie always made sure it was clean, neat and organised but it was now filled with toys that the boys had brought from Twelve. The children had even decorated it – something Effie had allowed them to do just to occupy their time – and Tristan's drawings were on the wall. The window sill was lined with Ethan's miniature toy cars.

"Come on," Haymitch beckoned them over as he settled in the middle of the bed, "time for you both to sleep."

Tristan climbed over his father, curling on Haymitch's left. Ethan somersaulted on to the bed. Haymitch's heart stopped beating for a painful second as he envisioned all the ways the boy's head could snap with a single wrong move.

"I told you countless times not to do that."

Ethan grinned. He reached out for his bolster and occupied the right side of the bed.

Effie chose that moment to check in on them. Her eyes roamed the room, taking in the sight of bed pushed together and she smiled when she saw Haymitch with the children.

"Go to sleep," she told them sternly. "It's already way past your bedtime. Don't push it."

Ethan and Tristan nodded their heads but once she left, closing the door behind her, they snickered. The three of them talked in hush whispers in the dark with the boys telling their father all about their week and all that they did while in the Capitol. At one point, while recounting about his trip to the aquarium, Tristan grew excited. He climbed on top of his father, arms folded across Haymitch's chest as he propped his chin on his arms just to look at his father

Haymitch wheezed.

"You ain't a baby anymore, peanut," he heaved a breath. "You've gotten heavier and if you lie on me like that, I can't breathe."

"But can we, dada, please? Can we get fishes? Mama said no. Please, I want pretty fishes like at the…the a-qua-rium," he broke down the words carefully. "Please."

"We'll see," said Haymitch, making no promises. "It's almost midnight. Come on, you gotta sleep. Your ma's gonna poke her head in again soon and if she sees that you're still awake she'll get mad."

"We don't wanna sleep," Ethan shook his head adamantly.

Haymitch sighed.

"Okay whoever goes to sleep first will get chocolate on their pancakes tomorrow," he bribed.

It worked. It always did.

Tristan scrambled off him. The boys pulled the covers to their chin and squeezed their eyes shut.

"Dada," Ethan whispered. "You must stay and see if I win."

"I'll win!" Tristan insisted. "Watch me! I'll fall asleep first. You musn't go until we fall asleep so you know who wins."

Haymitch did just that. With his arms folded across his stomach, he stayed until both their breathings had even out before he left their room.

XxX

"I thought they weren't ever going to sleep," Haymitch grumbled, walking out of the boys' room.

He collapsed on the sofa.

"If they can have it their way, they'll stay up all night now that you're here," Effie told him. She sat next to him with her legs folded beneath her, leaning against Haymitch. She reached out for the strawberry and bit into it, humming contently. "Two gifts… What a special day."

"For two children - you're the one who said we have to be fair when we get them anything," Haymitch reminded her, running his fingers through her hair.

"Hmmm," she nodded. "Are they only solely for your children?"

"Yes."

"You don't have me in mind at all when you bought strawberries – a fruit that happened to be my favourite - and mari_gold. _Flowers as yellow as my hair… Wasn't that what you once told Ethan?"

"Your hair aren't yellow, sweetheart," he muttered distractedly.

"You're sweet, Haymitch," she said, pressing herself further against him. "It's rare and it's always so surprising to discover what you're capable of. It's a novelty. I know you don't like to hear it but you're sweet."

Haymitch frowned. "Stop that. You make me sound like – "

"I won't tell anyone this other side of you," she promised with a teasing smile on her face. "Your secret is safe with me. It's such a privilege - I'd rather I'm the only one who knows and the only one who gets to experience your sweetness."

"You've gone mad, sweetheart."

They sat in comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company; Haymitch with a glass of whiskey and Effie with her strawberries. Considering the late hour, Haymitch watched, slightly alarm at the rate Effie was eating those fruits. He reached out, intending to move it away when Effie stopped him.

"I'm not done."

"The last time I saw you ate that much was when you were pregnant with the boys. You're not…" he shifted in his seat, "you're not pregnant again, are you?"

Effie paused, tilting her head to the side as she looked at him. She buried her face in his chest, shoulders shaking with laughter. Haymitch relaxed. He didn't even bother asking her to stop. He liked listening to the sound of her laughing even if it was at his expense.

"You worry about the most unexpected of things. How am I supposed to be pregnant, Haymitch? I can't remember the last time you touched me – it was before the law even came to an end, probably," she mused.

"Hmmm."

"How are you doing in Twelve?" she asked. "You kept asking about us but you never talk about yourself."

"What's there to talk about? It's just me. Nothin' much to tell."

"Tell me anyway – I want to know."

Haymitch released a breath as he leaned his head back against the sofa.

"The house is quiet," he admitted. "I wouldn't mind the noise."

Effie grinned. Her fingers were playing with the buttons on his shirt absent-mindedly.

"You miss us," she pointed out, poking his rib.

Haymitch lifted his shoulder in a shrug.

"You do, don't you? We miss having you around, too."

It was easier to admit after hearing the same from Effie, so Haymitch nodded, kissing her hair. "Yeah, I do."

"I even miss your snoring," she laughed lightly.

"I don't snore."

"You can't know that. You'd be sleeping, won't you? There's no way for you to know if you're snoring but I do. There's nothing to be ashamed of. It's just me," she patted his chest comfortingly.

"I don't miss you taking most of the space on the bed," he countered.

It made her laugh again and he smirked, counting his success. How many times had he made her laugh tonight?

"Oh, is that how it's going to be? Well… Let's see," she wriggled, shifting around the sofa until her head was pillowed on his lap and she was looking up at him. "I don't miss… I don't miss your flatulence that you deemed appropriate to release in the middle of the night."

"It annoys you. I consider it my duty," he grinned.

"You're impossible. Your turn."

"What - we're playing a game now?"

"Oh, go on, Haymitch, indulge me. What is it that you don't miss?"

"I don't miss you asking me to play games," he informed her. Effie smacked his stomach lightly. "Alright - I don't miss having to deal with your hair in my mouth and on my face, just 'cause you think my chest is a pillow. And this one's a good one - I don't miss being asked to clean the house."

Effie gasped, brows furrowed together. "Is the house in a mess? Haymitch, I've only been gone for five days!"

"You asked," he shrugged again.

"Actually, I miss you hovering near me in the kitchen, watching the things I add in my dish because you think my cooking is so atrocious I'll send the children to the hospital."

"And here I thought we're all about what we don't miss," he rolled his eyes. "You change the rules pretty fast, sweetheart."

Effie flashed him a smile, pushing herself up until she was straddling him. She looped her hands around his neck.

"I miss you," she whispered, "so much. Five days felt like a long time and I don't know… I just miss us together."

His hands went to her waist, holding her steady. Haymitch licked his lips unconsciously, and Effie must have noticed because her eyes dropped to his lips. He thought that it was him who leaned forward and went for it, or perhaps it was her but regardless of who it was, their lips brushed against each other and they were kissing. It was sweet, and urgent, and hungry at the same time - their kiss was a reflection of much they missed the other's presence. Each kiss only lead to more, taking them away from everything so they exist only in the moment.

It left him breathless.

Her fingers raked lightly against his scalp. She knew how to coax a moan out of him. Gently massaging and running her fingers through his hair as she kissed him always did the trick. Haymitch wound his hand around her hair, bunching it together so he could kiss her neck. Effie tilted her head without a thought, allowing him to nibble on the soft skin that would sure leave a mark. It was nothing that she couldn't cover with her hair down tomorrow.

She sighed as she ground herself against him. Her night gown rode higher up her thigh. Haymitch groaned. His hand travelled down her waist to her exposed thigh and they slid under her nightgown to roam her back, feeling the soft skin and the small imperfections marring her back that he had gotten to know so well.

It didn't take long for his shirt to be unbuttoned with his belt on the floor and his pants pooling around his ankles. Effie kissed him with such eagerness it made him think that the days they spent apart was worthwhile if this was the way she would react to having him around each time he visited. She kissed her way down his chest and she would have gone lower if Haymitch had not grabbed her arm, pulling her back to him.

"Slow down, slow down," he said breathlessly. His fingers coiled around the back of her neck as he stroked his thumb on her nape. Effie sighed, relaxing into his touch. "I'm here, sweetheart. We got all night."

Effie nodded contently, brushing his hair away from his face.

"I miss you in waves," she whispered. "It comes and it goes. When it comes, I feel like drowning from it and when it goes away, sometimes I forgot that you're not here, especially when the children kept me so busy. But at night, it's the worst. I miss you so much, my heart aches. The bed is too cold, and too big, and I count the days, just like Ethan did. It's only five days since you've been gone, Haymitch, but I'm so used to having you around. I miss you," she buried her face on the side of his neck, inhaling the familiar scent of the man who was once her husband. "I miss you."

Haymitch swallowed at her confession. His hand stroked her back repetitively. There was a strong need to touch her just to remind himself that he was here with her and not alone back in Twelve.

"Sweetheart," he sighed, his breath warm against her skin. He hesitated only briefly. He could tell her the truth. He could give her that at the very least. She wouldn't laugh in his face and she definitely wouldn't trivialise his feelings. This was Effie and he knew her, just as much as he could walk through Twelve blindfolded. "It's almost like in Thirteen when they dried me out. The more they try to keep me away from the alcohol, the alcohol's all I could think about. It's the same, Effie. It's almost, exactly the same."

"I've never expected anything romantic from you and I certainly did not expect to be compared to alcohol. But it's you and I do understand what you're trying to tell me," she pressed a kiss to his lips. "It's nice to be craved as much as the alcohol."

"More," he said softly, "so much more."

Effie wasn't inclined to talk much after that and he wasn't either except he found it imperative to tell her, "you have to be quiet, sweetheart. Tristan's a light sleeper and we don't want to wake him up."

Her suggestion that they move to the bedroom fell on deaf ears and there was no room for her to argue especially when he took a nipple in his mouth, rolling it with his tongue. Her head fell back but her hands drifted lower, grabbing him where she knew he was throbbing.

"Effie, I can't take – "

Haymitch had given her control. He was allowing her to set the pace but there was only so much he could take and Effie knew it too. Whatever he meant to say was replaced with a groan when Effie sank down on him.

He held her close, his face buried on her chest. Her hands gripped tight the back of the sofa behind him as they rocked against each other. Effie's screamed was drowned out by Haymitch's forceful kiss as he held her in his arms. She shuddered and slumped against him, exhausted.

It took some manoeuvring on his part but he managed to get them both to fit on the sofa with her stretched against him.

"I didn't quite think the night would turn out like this," she admitted, still trying to catch her breath. "I believe it's your turn – what do you miss?"

Haymitch was quiet, thinking about all the things he wanted when he was alone in Twelve.

"This," he told her quietly. "Holding you."

He let her nestled further against him. With her head on his chest, her arm slung carelessly over his torso and him wrapped around her, Haymitch fell asleep to the sound of her breathing. He wasn't alone and the silence wasn't his blanket. Not tonight.

XxX

The heavy weight on his chest was familiar but everything else wasn't. He didn't wake up to the sound of his geese honking or Katniss singing to Prim next door.

The crick on his neck was unfamiliar, too. Haymitch had spent the night with his head propped on the armrest of the sofa and it was making his neck stiff. He shifted while blindly reaching out for the cushions they had thrown on the floor the night before and slid it under his head.

"We should move to the bedroom," Effie voiced out sleepily. Her eyes were still closed but despite what she said, Effie made no attempt to move.

Somewhere in the back of his consciousness, he could hear the sound of keys jingling but passed it off as Effie's neighbour. That was until he heard a very familiar voice.

"Effie, darling," the voice broke the quiet in the apartment. "I'll have you know that your dear Haymitch never arrived at my house yesterday night. Did he even – oh my."

"For fuck's sake, Felix!" Haymitch cursed, hastily pulling the throw blanket up to cover them both. "Learn how to knock! You can't just walk into someone's house like a thief and sneak up on people."

Felix held up two fingers, showing Haymitch the keys dangling from his fingers.

"Can't be a thief if I've got the keys, handsome," he crooned. "Now, haven't anyone told you that it's bad manners not to call your host - that's me - to let me know that you won't be coming, especially since I have so graciously allowed you to sleep over at my place. You have to see it this way, Haymitch, it's really because of me that you don't have to get yourself a hotel room. We could have so much fun together yesterday night, handsome, but you chose to have a good time somewhere else, I see," Felix winked at him, his tone turning flirtatious.

Haymitch rolled his eyes.

"I'm flattered, give me a moment to swoon," he said flatly while putting on his pants.

"I waited the entire night in case you came by," Felix whined. "I could have gone to a party."

"Alright, alright, I should have called but it slipped my mind."

"Yes, I can see that. You both clearly had far too much fun to remember about dear old me," he waved his hands dismissively.

Haymitch handed Effie his shirt without a word and she slipped it on, standing up to finally greet her cousin. The shirt left her long legs exposed. Haymitch's eyes trailed over her appreciatively. It was Felix's turn to roll his eyes when he saw him.

"We're terribly sorry, Felix," Effie apologised. "The children wanted their father to put them to bed and when they finally fell asleep, it was already late and, well…"

"Hmph. It's quite alright, I supposed. It doesn't matter. Anyway, here," Felix threw something in Haymitch's direction. "I've made you a key to my apartment. So in case the twins decided to hold you back or if you two decided to have sex late into the night," he stared at Haymitch pointedly, "I won't have to wait up for you."

Effie blushed.

"Are you sure?" Haymitch asked.

"Yes, quite sure," Felix nodded. "You'll be visiting your family every weekend and it'll be easier if you have the keys."

"It's a good plan," said Effie.

"I thought of it, so naturally, it is," Felix said, casually flopping on to the sofa. He made himself feel at home, reaching out for the leftover strawberries from yesterday when he froze and shot out of it again. He glared at the sofa as if it had cost him a great inconvenience.

"I do believe the sofa needs to be properly and thoroughly sanitize before it is fit for human use. I shall warn the children not to sit on it in the meantime until all bodily fluids have been – "

"At which point during his complaining are you gonna throw him out, sweetheart? Too much chatter this early in the morning."

Felix narrowed his eyes at Haymitch, moving off to the armchair that he deemed suitable for his use.

"Guess who called me?" he asked, crossing his legs but before Effie or Haymitch could say anything, he answered his own question. "Elias did!"

"What does he want?"

"It was an odd phone call. He wanted to change the house he has in the City to my name. According to him, it was only temporary until he has settled some issues which he seemed rather elusive about."

"Why would he do that – change it to your name?" Haymitch asked.

Felix shrugged.

"My best guess is that he and his ex-wife are fighting over their matrimonial assets which mean that if that house is changed to my name, she won't be able to touch that property."

"That doesn't make sense," Effie shook her head. "If that is under his sole name, she doesn't have a claim over it."

"Oh, I don't know. Elias always has something up his sleeves. I no longer bother, truly. But that's enough of him. Let's talk about this Pancakes Sunday that I've heard so much about from Ethan. I'm assuming that we are having pancakes today, so, shall we get started?"

"I think you're more excited about this than the boys," Haymitch remarked.

"I never had a designated day for pancakes while growing up, so you'll have to excuse me."

"We can start, I supposed, although I will usually wait until the children are awake. Ethan likes to help out and if I start without him, he'll be upset."

"Help out isn't the word you're looking for, sweetheart. Make a mess is more appropriate. You should go ahead and start without him anyway," Haymitch told her.

"Oh, no, don't. The more the merrier," Felix said. "If Ethan likes to help out, then we should wait."

"When that boy makes a mess it isn't Effie that'll clean it up. There's some unspoken rule in this family that all messes goes to me," Haymitch grumbled. "It's always _'Haymitch, please be a dear and help me clean the kitchen or Haymitch, dear, Ethan's spilt something, would you please take a towel and wipe it up? _Isn't that how it goes, sweetheart? I've lost count the number of times I had to do the cleaning when one of the kids threw up when they were sick."

Effie looked indignant at his terrible impersonation of her. She threw a pillow in his direction which he easily avoided, making a joke about her poor aim.

"I spent years, Haymitch,_ years_, cleaning up after your mess. Consider this payment due," she retorted. "And enough of this, I'm going to have a shower. Now if you two gentlemen don't mind, wake the boys up and get them dress for breakfast."

Felix's eyes darted between the pair of them, watching them with an amused smile.

It was too early to tell but he was beginning to think that perhaps he was right somewhat. The time away made them miss each other and it would be good for them when they meet over the weekends.

It was like how their grandmother had once said, "you'll never know how strongly you love someone or how great your love is if you're never apart."

His grandparents had learnt that when his grandfather had spent weeks away from home, working tirelessly for the government in order to defend the Capitol when the rebels attacked during the first rebellion. The circumstances were different but he supposed the idea of being away was the same.

If Effie had agreed to move to the Capitol temporarily, then she must have remembered what their grandmother told them.

* * *

><p><em>Thanks for reading, and there's nothing more rewarding than waking up to reviews :) it'll make my day :)<em>


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

It was his third visit to the City, the third week since Effie and the children moved out. This week was different. Haymitch arrived on a Friday night instead of the usual Saturday morning, and it was special because Effie and the boys were waiting for him at the train station.

They ran to him the moment he alighted and jumped into his arms. He met Effie's eyes over the boys' shoulders as he carried them up, giving her a smile. Effie stretched, kissing him quickly.

"They're very excited about getting to meet you a day early," she whispered against his lips.

Haymitch never visit empty handed. He always made it a point to get his children something, which was one of the reasons they probably look forward to the weekends. But Haymitch wasn't like Felix. He never bought them expensive clothes or toys. He preferred to get the twins things that they could eat – fruits, chocolates, candies, pies or cakes. At some point, it had crossed Effie's mind that Haymitch was compensating, trying to make up for the things he never had during his childhood by ensuring that his children had plenty of it.

Tristan asked for strawberry cake from the bakery, and Ethan wanted éclairs.

"Save them for tomorrow!" Effie fretted. "You both already had desserts at Uncle Felix's."

They walked home together, cutting through the park to get to Effie's apartment.

"Dada, look," Ethan pointed to the night sky, "stars!"

"He's taken quite a liking to stars since the past few days," Effie whispered. "Felix brought them to the science centre on Tuesday – there was an exhibition."

"Why are stars so bright?" he asked.

Haymitch exchanged a glance with Effie, silently asking if she knew the answer to the question. Effie shook her head mutely.

"I don't know, tiger."

"They're tiny and little! Little stars!" Tristan chimed in. "Like the song mama likes to sing! Can you sing me the song again?"

Effie laughed, picking her son up. She started singing, crooning in his ears softly. Effie coaxed Tristan until he joined her in the duet.

_Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky,_ he sang, off tune.

"Why are diamonds like stars, dada? Is it 'cause they're shiny? How many stars are there?" Ethan asked.

"Lots of it – there's just so many, you can't count."

"How many is many?"

No one ever told him that part of being a father meant he had to sit through an intense list of questions. At times he wondered how their little mind worked. How they managed to ask him things he never thought of before was beyond him. It made him wonder if and his brother had asked his father the kind of questions Ethan was asking him.

"Billions and billions of stars," Haymitch replied, hoping that would satiate the boy's curiousity.

"How many is billions?" Ethan frowned.

Ethan was only learning how to count and the concept of tens and twenties was foreign to him, let alone billions.

"See the sky, turn around," he pointed. "Everywhere you look there are stars, right? It's endless. It spreads so far that you can't see most of them – that's billions."

"So many!" he exclaimed, excitedly. He bounced on his feet, clutching on to Haymitch's hand. "They're everywhere? They're at home, too?"

Haymitch nodded.

"They're at Finn's home, too? Can Finn see them?"

"Everywhere, tiger."

Ethan kept quiet. His eyes were fixed on the night sky, watching it spread before him curiously.

"Dada, why's the moon followin' us?"

"It's not following you. It looks like it is but – "

As the boys grew older, they possessed the amazing ability to make him feel incredibly stupid with the questions that they asked. They were curious about their world and when he couldn't answer their questions, it left him with a bad taste in his mouth, as if he had failed them. They looked up to him for answers and it was becoming evidently clear to him that he didn't hold the answers to all of their questions.

"The moon is just there, but it's far away. It's not actually moving but you are so it seems like -," he tried again.

"If it's not movin', why is it followin' me?"

Haymitch groaned.

"The moon is like your friend," Effie said, trying to help Haymitch out. "It'll keep you safe. Don't you feel safe when you walk at night and you look up to see the moon? You know the it will always be there with you no matter what."

"Like you and dada?" Tristan asked.

"Like me and dada," Effie nodded. "We'll always be here - you must remember that, my sweet little prince. We'll always, always be here for you."

"But why is its name 'moon'?" Ethan questioned. "Why doesn't its mama give it a nicer name? I don't like the name."

"You don't like a lot of things," Haymitch muttered. "It doesn't have a mother – it's just a moon. Why didn't Felix get you a book about the damn moon and stars when he brought you to the science centre? You know what, tiger, I'll get you the book so you can read all you want 'bout them."

"Okay!"

"What shall we call the moon, then?" Effie asked, indulging her son.

"It's got to be a pretty name!"

"I've got a pretty name in mind," Effie smiled. "We'll call the moon Luna. How about that? Do you like it?"

Haymitch scoffed.

"I like it!"

"Me, too," Ethan smiled.

People often said that twins took after Haymitch but he disagreed because when they smile, he only ever saw Effie in them. They have their mother's smile, and he would do anything to put a smile on their faces.

XxX

Johanna and Felix came over the next day. Haymitch preferred a quiet Saturday night but with those two around that was not actually possible.

Felix and Effie had taken over the kitchen, trying to prepare dinner. Johanna was making a nuisance of herself, riling the two cousins with her running commentary as they cook. It left Haymitch with the children. It was fine by him as long as he didn't have to get involve with whatever argument they were currently having in the kitchen.

"The earth is the third planet from the sun," Haymitch read out loud from the book he had purchased for Ethan that afternoon.

"That's our home?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "It is the only known planet to support life."

"Is it very big?"

Haymitch glanced down at the book. _13,000 kilometers in diameter. _

"Very big," he said instead. If he had told him what the book had stated, Ethan would only ask for a reference for thirteen thousand. Besides, trying to explain the concept of measurement to his four year old son was pushing it, he thought.

"Why can't we read stories?" Tristan asked, wrinkling his nose. "Can we read 'bout the three little pigs?"

"What pigs?" Haymitch asked.

"With the big bad wolf!"

"What kind of story is your mother reading you?"

As they grow, their preferences began to distinguish from each other. They may be a copy of the other but their interest was different.

Tristan enjoyed fiction. He loved stories. He liked it when his mother made different voices for different characters as she read. He enjoyed it when Effie made him act out scenes and pretend to be characters from the book they were reading. Ethan wanted to know about his world. He wanted to know about the flowers and the trees. He wanted to know about how the lake behind their house was formed, and now he wanted to know about the universe. It made choosing books that they could both agree on a difficult task.

"Dinner!" Effie announced.

Haymitch visibly relaxed because it meant that he had narrowly avoided a potential disagreement between Tristan and Ethan. They were very close and inseparable, but as with all siblings, they get into arguments quite frequently.

When Johanna set his plate down in front of him, Haymitch glanced at it. The salmon seemed passable enough. Still, he raised an eyebrow at Johanna.

"It hasn't been poisoned," Johanna said. "I tasted them – they made me."

"Quality control," Felix winked.

"Tristan, there are enough chairs to go around, get back to your seat," Effie instructed but the boy remained where he was on Haymitch's lap.

It was difficult for Haymitch to eat but it was difficult still to separate the boy from his father.

"It's fine," Haymitch said.

The twins never went through any separation anxiety, which was fortunate for Haymitch and Effie, but Tristan in particular became overly attached each time Haymitch visited. Still, all things considered, Haymitch thought that they were coping well with the situation so far with him in Twelve and them in the Capitol

"Tristan darling, please, eat your peas."

He shook his head. Effie turned to Haymitch, imploring him to do something about it. Haymitch sighed.

"Come on, peanut, clean your plate," he coaxed.

"No. It tastes funny."

"Okay, we'll make this fun," Haymitch said. "Open your mouth. I'm gonna throw this in the air and you gotta catch it but you can't use your hand. We're playing catch but with your mouth. Once you catch it and the peas' in your mouth, you gotta eat it."

Tristan thought about it for a few seconds. He looked to his brother, their eyes conveying words that only they understood. Tristan wouldn't do this without his brother. Ethan pushed himself off the chair to kneel on his knees. He nodded.

"Okay," Tristan said.

"Haymitch…"

"Don't worry, sweetheart," he grinned at Effie. "They're just learning so I'm going to make it easy for them. It won't dirty the kitchen. Jo, you take Ethan."

Johanna was more than happy when it came to this kind of things.

"The rules of the game are simple - first to finish their peas win the race," Johanna announced. "Don't let me down, Ethan."

Felix's audible groan was drowned by the boys' excited voices. Johanna cheered Ethan on, throwing peas at the boy as low as she could so that it would never miss his mouth.

"Dada, Ethan's cheating! He's cheating! We're gonna lose. We're gonna lose. More peas, dada, more, more!"

"Two for every throw, Jo, really?" Haymitch frowned. "We're going one at a time."

"This is a dinner table," Effie hissed.

"Quite right," chimed Felix. "We have etiquettes and table manners which does not involve throwing peas in the air!"

"Ignore them – they're very boring people," Johanna said.

Ethan giggled. If Felix was Tristan's favourite, Johanna was Ethan's.

Effie sat with her legs crossed and lips pursed together watching their antics. The five minutes dragged on until Haymitch declared Tristan a winner. The boy had stopped catching the peas halfway through and had spooned them by the mouthfuls, chomping on it as fast as he could with his mouth closed because he remembered what Effie always said, "never eat with your mouth open - manners matter."

Ethan sat back in his seat, pouting. He had never liked losing.

"Why don't you show your father what you can do now?" Effie said, throwing Haymitch a dark look as if to say that it was his fault that Ethan was pouting. "Number five…?"

Ethan's entire demeanour changed. His eyes lighted up.

"I can write one to five already, dada! Wanna see?"

Without waiting for an answer, he dipped his finger on the leftover sauce on his plate and wrote a large number five on the table. Felix shrieked and Effie gasped at her son's behaviour.

"You were raised better than this!"

"That poor table!" Felix exclaimed. "Oh, the mess… will you just look at the mess?"

"Will you just shut up?" Johanna scowled, crossing her arms as she glared at Felix.

Ethan looked abashed, a little unsure if he was in trouble but Haymitch's laughter caused the mischievous grin to return to the boy's face.

"Fabulous," he ruffled his son's hair, winking in Effie's direction. He was not the least bit bothered about the mess. "Last time I saw you, you only knew how to write till number four."

"Mama said we have to learn how to count and write our names because we need to know 'em before we go to school."

Tristan nodded at his brother's word. "I'm learnin' to write my name!"

Johanna turned towards Tristan, bringing the glass of wine to her lips.

"In Four, Finn's learning some fancy swim moves. What do you say, kid? Wanna learn how to swim like a frog and learn something fun?"

"I wanna go!" Ethan said enthusiastically. "Can you teach me to be a frog, Aunty Jo?"

"Felix will teach you. He's got a pool up on the roof of his apartment, bet you didn't know that, because your mum," she raised her eyes to look at Effie, "didn't wanna take you swimming."

"Johanna, please," Effie frowned.

"And why must it be me, Mason?" Felix shot her a look. "Why don't _you_ teach them?"

"I'm not a fan of water. I can bring them over, if you want," Johanna shrugged, "but I sure as hell won't go immersing myself in that pool."

"Please, mama!" Ethan said.

"You're a terrible influence on my children," Effie hissed.

Johanna grinned. "Better get used to it, Trinket. You're going to be seeing a lot of me now that I'm not married."

"We see a lot of you even when you were married. It wasn't as if you were always by your husband's side, were you?" Felix commented.

Johanna glared. "Don't be a little bitch, Felix. You liked hanging around with me. You like me dragging you to Four to visit Annie so don't make me change my mind."

"What's a bitch?" Tristan asked suddenly. "Is that a new word, mama? For our voca – voca…bu...lary notebook?"

"You're not allowed to use that word," Haymitch told his son, glaring at Johanna.

"No, no, darling, that is not a word we add to the vocabulary notes," she said at the same time as Haymitch. "Watch your language, Johanna!"

Johanna wrinkled her nose.

"What's that, Tristan? Did you say a notebook? You're four years old, why do you have a notebook?" she asked. She shifted in her seat to look at Effie. "Are you makin' them learn new words? Seriously, Effie, they're a few months shy of turning five. They need to have fun."

"Well!" Effie huffed, clearly displeased by the questions. "I'm thinking of enrolling them into a school and it's better if they know a thing or two before they start."

"We didn't talk about this," Haymitch tilted his head, surprised by this new piece of information. "You want to put them in a school _here_?"

"It was… It was just something that I've been thinking about in passing. I haven't given it any serious thought," she said quietly, resting her hand on his. "I was going to talk to you about it."

"What's this vocabulary notebook?" Johanna asked again, neatly stopping any potential disagreement between the two.

His gaze lingered on Effie but he didn't pursue the topic, trusting her when she said she would discuss it with him.

"Just something Effie does with them since they were a toddler. Effie likes to read to them and when they were two, she started this… thing," he explained. "They'll add any new word that the boys come across and what the word means – to expand the children's vocabulary or somethin."

"Weird," Johanna muttered. "Never had that growing up but I think my vocabulary's great."

"And if by great you mean vulgar and rude, yes I agree," Felix added. "I think it's a good practice, Effie. My nephews will be two very well-spoken, articulate young men!"

"We got fifty words in our list already, Aunty Jo!" Tristan said proudly. "Mama read a new book yesterday. I and Ethan learn a new word."

"Ethan and I learnt a new word," Effie corrected.

"Fam - Famished!" Ethan chimed in. "Dada said it means really, really hungry."

"Wow, Haymitch, you're raising little geniuses," Johanna taunted. "Anyway, you remember little Ari, yeah?"

Effie and Haymitch nodded. The boys perked up at the mention of their friend's name.

"I saw her when I was in Four. She's doing okay, I guess. Still have your tiger soft toy, Ethan. Her mother said that she takes it everywhere she goes."

"Really?" Ethan asked, sounding pleased.

Johanna nodded. "Her father's a real jerk, though," she continued. "He – "

"Excuse me, Johanna, but I don't think this is an appropriate conversation to have with the children around," Effie interrupted.

She ushered the children away from the dining table and settled them in the living room with their toys. When she returned, Haymitch gestured for Johanna to continue where she left off.

"Her father left when the marriage's dissolved. No news from him ever since he signed the dissolution certificate - abandoned his kid from the looks of it. Ari's mother filed for sole custody with the Courts. Not that she had much choice on the matter but I don't know," Johanna shrugged. "Something didn't feel right when I was there. She left Ari with neighbours most of the time."

"What's the mother doing? Is she working?"

"Annie said she is. Long hours."

XxX

Haymitch leaned against the door frame, arms folded across his chest. Effie fussed over her sleeping babies, tucking their blankets carefully, brushing their hair and kissing their foreheads.

"A school here?" he asked, breaking the silence.

She straightened up, switching on their night lamp.

"They're at the age where they should be attending pre-school."

"What's wrong with what you're teaching them so far? They're learning things. They're doing great."

Satisfied that everything was in order and that her children would have a good night's sleep, Effie walked over to Haymitch, wrapping her hands around his waist.

"What we're teaching them at home is just to prepare them for school, Haymitch. It's the building blocks."

"But a school here in the city? I don't like the idea, sweetheart."

"Why not? What's wrong with the schools here?"

He shrugged. "We don't know what they're teaching the kids, do we?"

Effie tilted her head back to look at him, not quite understanding what he meant.

"I don't want their heads to be filled with –"

_Ah,_ it clicked in her mind. She had told him before how she, along with other Capitol children, had been taught since they were young that the Games were an entertainment, a just punishment for the crime perpetuated by the rebellious districts. They grew up believing it to be true.

"You're afraid that what happened to me will happen to them," she sighed. "They're not going to be brain washed into thinking something, Haymitch. President Snow's regime is long over. The schools here are different than what it once was."

She laid her hand on his cheek, imploring him to understand. Haymitch said nothing.

"There's an education board now. They oversee all the curriculums. You know all these. You know that they're responsible in making sure that the standard of education and the curriculum is standardised across Panem. You're not telling me that you won't be comfortable with sending them to the pre-school in Twelve, are you?"

"That's the thing, isn't it, sweetheart?" he removed her hand from his cheek. "You said this was only temporary, that we just need some time to think about what we both want but you telling me that you want to send them to a school here makes it look like it's permanent. Is that it?"

"Haymitch, that's not what – "

"Starting a school here? Come on, Effie," he shook his head, moving away from her towards the living room. "Why send them to a school in the city unless you plan to be here awhile?"

Effie went after him, chasing him down the hallway. She grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn around.

"Haymitch, listen to me," she framed his face in her hands. "It's not permanent. You have to understand that. I wasn't lying to you when I said that it's not. I meant what I said about us needing some space and that we would work it out. If we start them in a school here, we can always transfer them back to Twelve. They can change school. I just want them to interact and socialise with other children their own age. I want them to learn things they wouldn't learn if they stay at home. It'll be good for them."

Haymitch breathed out slowly. It never crossed his mind that the children could easily change school. He felt foolish somewhat for the way he reacted.

"Besides, the school term doesn't start until a few months. We have time to think about this. They're our children – we'll make this decision _together,_" she told him. "And in a few months, we may not even be living here."

She smiled at him.

"Yeah," he nodded. "A lot can happen in a few months."

He drew her into a kiss which she was more than happy to comply, the conversation cast aside.

XxX

Haymitch found weekdays to be dreary ever since Effie and the children moved to the Capitol. So when he received a phone call in the middle of the day from Effie, he couldn't say he wasn't surprised.

"Hey, sweetheart," he grinned when he heard her voice. "Bit unusual to call at this time, should I be worried that you're breaking routines?"

Effie laughed but it quickly died down.

"Have you checked your mail, Haymitch?" she asked. Effie would remind him to check the mails every week for any correspondence from the Court. "It's been three weeks already, have you gotten the custody order? I checked yesterday morning but I haven't received anything."

"I checked the mail box on Friday before I left for the city – nothing," he informed her. It was Tuesday and he had not checked the mail yesterday when he got back. "Hang on the line, I'll see if there are any mails now."

He knew it would put her at ease if he were to get back to her immediately instead of telling her that he would call back and making her wait.

There were a few letters in the mail box and Haymitch thumbed through them as he walked back inside, looking for an official mail. He found one wedged between two flyers. The letter was addressed to him.

"I got somethin'… could be the orders," he told her, picking up the phone. He cradled the receiver between his cheek and his shoulder as he tore the envelope, extracting the letter folded neatly inside.

He read through it quickly, his eyes skimming through the contents to get the gist of it. Haymitch picked up random words but it was enough to make him go absolutely still, his heart freezing in his chest.

"What the fuck?" he breathed out, not quite able to believe what he was reading. "Son of a bitch."

"Haymitch? What's the matter? Did you get the letter?"

"Effie… Oh, fuck, Effie," he cursed, kicking the stool in the kitchen violently in a surge of anger.

"Haymitch, what is it? You're making me anxious. Why are you cursing so much? You know very well by now that I don't like it when –"

"They denied me custody," he forced the words out. Haymitch crumpled the paper in his hand and stuffed it in his pocket. He pressed the palm of his hand on his forehead. _This can't be happening. I'm their father. I'm their father!_ "I'm their father," he said it out loud this time, "and I'm being denied custody over my own children."

"What?!" Effie shrieked. He heard her sharp intake of breath and then she started counting down from ten, trying to calm herself. "No, no. That cannot possibly be right. There is absolutely no reason for you to be denied custody – we agreed on joint custody! Read the letter properly, Haymitch. There has to be a mistake. Did they mean to send it to another person? Perhaps they had gotten wrong address. Yes, that must be it!"

"Effie," he gritted his teeth. He pulled the paper out from his pocket and smoothed it out. "I am reading the fucking letter again, and my name's there, sweetheart. The boys' names are there. This isn't a mistake. This is happening, do you understand? I am not getting custody for the boys until further investigation has been completed."

"I – I don't…What…" Effie stammered. She always had something to say, always knew what to say and what Haymitch was telling her right now made no sense to her at all. "Investigation?"

"I am as clueless as you. I don't know what the hell is going on, sweetheart, but I intend to find out. You make your way down to the lobby now, right now, and you check your mail box. Then you call me back. You don't cry, you don't panic and you sure as hell, don't let the kids see you worrying. Call me the moment you get back."

* * *

><p><em>At the end of Chapter 7 of Consortium, Haymitch found out he was going to have a child, and in this Chapter 7, he found out he could be losing them. But, let's see what's going on next week! I know the ending's a bit evil, but I hope you like the chapter still. I really had fun writing the first part of them talking about the stars and the moon.<em>

_Thanks for reading and leave a review :)_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Effie could sense the uneasy feeling spreading from her chest outward, filling her whole. Her fingers danced in nervous jitters, drumming against the table next to the phone. Her heart hammered behind her ribcage, beating an odd rhythm.

She sat down, staring at the wall, thinking of Haymitch alone in the house and the things he must be feeling right now.

It was not possible for him to be denied custody. It was not possible. They had agreed on a joint custody. There was an agreement, signed and witnessed by the Registrar.

Effie stood up, pacing the small space.

_"__Don't let the kids see you worrying."_

She stopped in front of the window. Effie pushed it open at the sudden need for fresh air. She closed her eyes, feeling the wind against her skin. The air wasn't as fresh as District Twelve where the scent of the earth and the trees mingled together. She missed Twelve.

Effie opened her eyes when a thought crossed her mind.

_Does this mean I get sole custody?_

That seemed to be the likeliest outcome. There was no reason to panic.

Her mind was quickly working out ways that they could solve Haymitch's problems. If she had been granted sole custody then Haymitch could breathe easy. Nothing would change. They would just work things out. She was not going to keep his children from him. Still, it was better to rectify the situation. They could appear in Court again, she thought, and inform them that there was a mistake because that had to be it, an error. The Registrar must have recorded their custody arrangements wrongly.

No reason to panic at all.

Still, something nagged at the back of her mind. The uneasy, nervous feeling roared its ugly head, threatening to cripple her. This was not the time to have a panic attack, she reprimanded herself harshly.

_Investigation._

Haymitch had mentioned it but he had said little else except to tell her to check her mails. She should check them. He was waiting for her to call back with news.

"Felix," she called out, grabbing her keys from the bowl. "Please keep an eye on the children. I'll be back soon."

There were a few people milling around in the lobby. Effie kept her head low and went straight to the rows of mail boxes, not quite in the mood to be stopped for a chat. The key clicked and she popped it open to see a single envelope inside.

Her breathing quickened. Effie stared at it before reaching for the letter hesitantly.

Her name was printed neatly on the front and there was an official government seal on the back when she turned it over. Using her key, Effie slid it over the envelope and pulled the letter within.

It wasn't a court document. It wasn't the order she had been expecting. Her breath hitched in her throat. There was something else that made her feel uneasy, something Haymitch had said over and over again. _Letter._

He made no mention of receiving a court order. All he said was that he had received an official letter, much like the one she was holding on to now.

_No, no, no,_ she thought angrily as she tore the envelope to make sure there really was no other document in it.

"Please," she whispered as she unfolded the letter.

Unlike Haymitch who skimmed through the letter, picking out important words, Effie read it carefully, line by line.

"No," she breathed out. Her hands shook. "No, no, no. This can't –"

"Miss Trinket? Are you alright?"

Effie raised her head to see her neighbour from two floors down looking at her with concern.

"I'm – I'm fine," she managed a smile but her eyes had lost their usual warmth.

She wasn't fine. She knew it, too. There was a heavy weight in her chest and it made breathing difficult. Effie glanced around at the unfamiliar faces. She wanted Haymitch. But he wasn't there. He was at Twelve, waiting for her to call back but she couldn't go back to her apartment. Not like this. She didn't want the children to see her this way.

Effie left the building, crossing the street to the other side where she collapsed on a bench. She didn't know how long she sat there, regulating her breathing, staring at nothing. At some point, Felix came over looking for her with the twins.

"Haymitch has been calling," Felix said, taking a seat next to her. "Three times to be exact. He sounded frantic and he wants you to call back as soon as you can. What's the matter, darling, did something happen?"

"Mama?" Tristan called out, climbing on to her lap. He touched her cheek and called out for her again.

"You're going to be okay," she kissed Tristan's head. "You and your brother – we'll make sure of it."

Felix frowned when he heard that. He took the letter from her hand and raised an eyebrow, questioningly. Effie nodded.

"What in the name of -" he stopped abruptly and heaved a breath. "This isn't real. They're your children!"

"It is," she said quietly. "Haymitch has it, too."

"Effie, darling, you have to … There has to be something… What's going to happen to the children? This is clearly a mistake because – "

"I have to speak to Haymitch. He needs to know. He's going to be very angry, Felix."

"Well, he should be! This isn't right. Now, you head back home, darling, and you call him. I have an appointment for my hair treatment today but not to worry, I can take the children with me. I will get Johanna to meet me there - she will kick up a fuss but that's my problem not yours. You call Haymitch as soon as you get back home."

"Don't… Don't do anything to their hair, Felix. Don't colour or dye their hair," she said distractedly. "I know you've been wanting to but they're too young and Haymitch will have a fit."

Felix laughed and kissed her head, promising her that he would leave the children out of the salon's chair.

"Come now, darlings, we're going to some place fun. But first, we'll have to wake your Aunt Johanna up! Who's excited?"

XxX

Effie saw him even before he even stepped off the train that Wednesday afternoon. She pushed passed people, mumbling apologies as she hurried forward and crashed into his arms, hugging Haymitch as tight as she could.

She was so glad to see him, to feel his arms around her and to know that he was here now. She had been afraid of losing her children but with him here, she felt better. Haymitch would never let anything happen to their family. She knew that without a doubt.

"I was so worried," she mumbled against his neck. "I was so, so worried, Haymitch. I couldn't sleep."

"It's okay, sweetheart," Haymitch cradled the back of her head, brushing her hair soothingly. "I'm here now - it's going to be okay."

They had no idea what was going on which made it difficult for her to believe that but it was Haymitch and he would make sure that it would. She had placed her trust in him a long time ago and she knew it was not misplaced.

"What are we going to do?" she clutched on to his shirt.

"Where are they?"

"With Felix and Johanna back home," Effie answered.

"Alright," he nodded, "that's good. I spoke to Johanna before I left Twelve. She's got my permission to punch any officers in the face if they come knocking for the kids," he told her, trying to put a smile on her face only to fail spectacularly.

"Oh, Haymitch, you shouldn't! We're not going to do ourselves any good. They're already investigating into – "

He chuckled quietly, his thumb brushed against her cheek.

"I need you to wipe your tears. I know you're scared. I am, too," he admitted. "But I need you to be strong for the boys. It's okay to cry, Effs, but not here, and never in public from now on. They can't see it. They're just waiting for you to breakdown and lose it, and they will use it to support their case, you understand? You want to fall apart when we're alone together then you go ahead, sweetheart. I'm gonna be there."

Effie nodded. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, there was a sparkle of determination there. The corner of his lips quirked upwards into a smile and he kissed her in the middle of the train station.

"We're going to work together. We're going to be a team," he grinned, his finger tapped on the gold bangle around her wrist, his bangle that she wore along with his mother's bracelet.

"We've always been a team," she whispered. "Haymitch… I want to know who did it to us."

XxX

Haymitch was agitated and at his wits end when not a single officer would let them know what was going on except to repeat countless times that they should appoint a legal guardian for the children until custody issue has been settled.

"I don't want to appoint a legal guardian. I'm their father and I'm still alive to care for them," Haymitch hissed.

"Haymitch," she pulled on his arm, "let me talk to them. You're angry. It's not doing us any good. Let me talk."

"Fine," he said, and sat on one of the chairs.

"Are we allowed to visit our children?" she asked the clerk. Haymitch bristled at the question.

"Yes, Miss Trinket. At the moment, from what I can read from your file, you're allowed to visit them on weekends under our supervision. If you wish to vary it, please let me know and I will key it in the system."

"Can't we see them anytime we want? I don't think it's in the Family and Social Services Department's core values to separate a mother from her children or the children from their father. I'm sure there's something you can help us with."

"That's not… I'm sorry but that's not allowed unless it's an emergency. You and Mr. Abernathy have been deemed unfit and as such, the Family and – "

"That's bullshit," Haymitch stood up. "If you ain't gonna tell me who filed the report, then I'll come back with the proper authorisation. Come on, Effie."

"Sir," the clerk called out. "The legal guardian….?"

"Felix Lewis and Johanna Mason," Haymitch spat without even thinking about it. "Or is Johanna Mason unfit to be a guardian, too? You seem to make a habit of going after broken victors after all. You should have exempted her from the marriage law if you think that -"

"Haymitch! There is no need for that," she frowned at him. "Why don't you wait outside? I will be out in a moment."

XxX

They were quiet during the taxi ride. Haymitch was still angry. Effie, on the other hand, was calm. She had to be for both of them. She was proud of the way she was handling herself and the situation. A few years ago, she would have had a panic attack but she has Haymitch, she always has, and his presence grounded her. Her fingers crept towards his hand on the seat, curling it over his palm.

"You said they should have exempted Johanna from the law if they didn't think she was suitable to be a mother or a guardian," she spoke, her voice was soft. "You said nothing about yourself."

For a long time, Haymitch was quiet. Effie laid her head on his shoulder, thinking that there was nothing he wished to say about that subject.

"If they had exempted me, I wouldn't have … I wouldn't have you. I wouldn't have the boys. I don't regret it," he breathed out slowly. "I wouldn't be a father and I… Effs, I don't know how not to be a father. That's all I've been for the past four years and I – I like the job, I like the responsibility," he went on, staring out of the window, watching the scenery passed by. "I like being someone's father. I like being _theirs_."

It was rare to hear him open up about his feelings that it made her heart swell. She was glad that he shared it with her instead of keeping it bottled up inside. For years, he had been apathetic, closing himself off to people until Katniss and Peeta came along. He had survived at the bottom of his bottles and he had simply stopped living but things had changed for him. His sons taught him how to live and how to love, and she knew that this was killing him as much as it was hurting her.

Effie nestled further against him and laced their fingers together.

"You'll always be theirs," she assured him.

They said little else for the remainder of the journey, each lost in their own thoughts. The taxi rumbled on, inching closer towards President Paylor's office.

Effie didn't realise that they had arrived at their destination until Haymitch nudged her to leave the taxi. Thankfully for them, the wait to meet President Paylor wasn't long because Effie didn't think that she could handle any more waiting. It made her nervous and jittery.

"Haymitch, Effie," President Paylor nodded, extending her hand to each of them. "I truly apologise for this but I can only spare you fifteen minutes. I have a Council meeting."

"Oh, no, please don't apologise. We're the one who should be thanking you for sparing us time out of your busy schedule," Effie rushed to say.

"Of course I would see you both. We are friends, are we not? I heard about what happened. What can I do to help? If it's within my power, I will try to assist you with it."

"We were at the Family and Justice Building earlier today to find out why custody isn't even granted to either one of us," Haymitch began. "All they're telling us is that the information we're after are strictly confidential."

"All we have to go on with is what's written on the letter sent to us; that we are not fit to have custody of the children because…. of our past," Effie said, distressed. "As their parents, any information pertaining to our children should not be kept from us. This is not fair."

"I heard," President Paylor nodded. "Haymitch did have a reputation for being a drunk."

"They can't hold my past against me, Eileen," Haymitch frowned, foregoing all formalities. "I haven't been drunk since the children were born. They're going to investigate my drinking habits? Is that it?"

"No, they're going to do a background check on you, including everything you've ever done so far, and if you are a danger to your children."

Haymitch snorted in derision.

"Is that going to include the fact that I killed children when I was sixteen because the Capitol made me? Or that I was part of the Rebellion? You see how ridiculous this is?"

"Haymitch," President Paylor clasped her hands together and looked at him. "Those are extenuating circumstances. They should not and would not drag that into their investigation, but should it ever come up, I _will_ vouch for you. What are they saying about you, Effie?"

"I am not of sound mind to care for my children; that my imprisonment and torture during the war had left a great effect on my well-being which is impacting the way I live my life. Apparently, I am in no state to be a mother."

Effie bowed her head as her fingers traced the bracelet on her wrist. _If only I had been stronger, if I hadn't relapsed then they wouldn't know – _

"She's doing well," she heard Haymitch said. Effie raised her head to look at him. "She's receiving treatment, talking to her doctors. The last time she had an episode was when the boys were one years old. Look Eileen, when we signed on the custody agreement, the Registrar said nothing about us not getting custody. This investigation came out of nowhere. Something must have triggered it and I want to know why. I need your help. They can release that information to us on _your_ authority. We need to understand what's going on. I'm not going to lose my children without a fight."

"Of course," she nodded. "You'll contest this. Ask for a custody hearing. That's the only way you can prove your case. Get evidence – medical records, for example."

They waited while President Paylor wrote them a letter, authorising them access limited to the issue of custody from the Family and Social Services Department.

XxX

Haymitch did not want to wait until the next day so they took a taxi back and saw that the same clerk was still on duty. Effie was glad for it because it meant that they would spend lesser time trying to explain their situation again. If there was ever a reason to hate bureaucracy, this was it. The red tape was frustrating.

"Hello, again," he smiled. "What else can I do for you?"

"I want to know who filed the report for an investigation to be launched," Haymitch demanded, cutting straight to the chase. "You're gonna give it to me."

"Sir, I've already told you that I won't be able to –

"Yeah, I heard you the first time. Confidential, was it?"

"That's right."

"The President didn't think so," Haymitch sneered, slapping the paper on his desk.

"You – You went to the President?" he gulped. "Please hold a moment, I'll get my superior. She would be better able to handle your request."

"You do that," Effie waved him off, "and do it quickly. You've wasted far too much of our time already."

The clerk scurried off.

"I want to go home to my babies," Effie said tiredly as she sat down on the chair while waiting for the clerk to return. "We should probably call Felix and tell him that you've appointed him and Johanna as legal guardian."

"Yeah, we probably should," he nodded but Effie could tell that he was distracted.

"Miss Trinket, Mr Abernathy, this way please," the clerk gestured for them to follow him. They were led down a hallway to an office. The lady behind the desk had a kind smile and she gestured for them to take a seat.

"I can't refuse the President's order now, can I?" she said. "This is an unusual case, I hope you understand. If there was an agreement for a joint custody, it will most likely be granted. In fact, it was granted in nearly all of the cases that came to us. If there wasn't, sole custody is awarded to one of the parents. We do not think it is healthy to the child's development to grow up away from both parents."

"Then we're already on the same page," Haymitch said. "So can you rectify the problem?"

"I wish it was that simple, Mr. Abernathy, but you see, a report has been filed to say that neither of you are suitable to have custody, care and control of your children. We take such report seriously and the investigation is done to ensure that the children can grow up in a safe, healthy and conducive environment. We place the child's well-being above all others which is why we suggest that the legal guardian be someone that you trust and someone that the children are familiar and comfortable with"

"Your investigation is not going to reveal anything," Effie said. "We're their parents and we have raised them to the best of our ability since the day they were born. We have cared for them and provided for them. We cherish and love our children."

"I do not doubt that, Miss Trinket, but it is our duty still to ensure that everything is proper. Now, it says here that you wish to know who filed the report, am I right?"

"Yes," Haymitch answered.

"I will make a copy of his report for you. Do I need to remind you not to do anything that will break the law? You are not to go after him or confront of him on this subject."

_His,_ Effie's brows crinkled.

The report was handed over to Haymitch. It was only after they had left the building and was standing on the side walk that Haymitch opened the file.

"Son of a bitch," he swore loudly. People stared at him. "Son of a - Where does he live?"

Effie was alarmed by his reaction. She plucked the file out of his hand and flipped through the papers, looking specifically for the name of the person who had reported them. Her heart sank when the person's identity became clear to her.

_Elias Lewis._

"Where does he stay, Effie?" Haymitch growled. "I'm going to break that bastard's neck."

* * *

><p><em>I rewrote this chapter bc I didn't want to have Effie so shocked by the news that she fell apart and didn't know what to do. I want her to be worried and anxious, but still very much involved in whatever is going on. So i hope you like it!<em>

_Thanks for reading and leave a review!_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Cars drove passed them in flashing beams of headlights while empty taxis honked at them as they stood on the sidewalk. Haymitch waved them away, letting the drivers know that they were not waiting for one.

Next to him, Effie paid none of that any attention as she continued to stare at the name on the file.

"Elias," he heard her whisper. "Elias."

"Give it to me," he closed the file, taking it out of her hand. "It's him, sweetheart. You're not reading it wrongly."

Haymitch opened it again and flipped through the pages until he found Elias' address in the city. It was not far from where they were, he noted. He raised his head, his gaze falling on Effie.

"Listen, I want you to go home," he told her. He flagged a passing taxi. "There's something that I need to do first."

That caught her attention. Effie turned towards him, a frown on her face. Haymitch did not waver.

Something must have frightened her, perhaps the coldness in his grey eyes, because Effie grabbed the front of his shirt.

"No," she shook him until he looked at her. "I know what you want but you are not going to see him. I forbid it. You're not going to do anything to him. What you'll do now is to come home with me."

"This isn't really the time to protect him, sweetheart," he snarled. It sounded ugly in his ears. He shouldn't be angry with her. He wasn't angry with her but he couldn't keep it out of his voice. "He's not your family. That man has done so many –"

"I know what he's done," she said firmly. "I don't care about him, not anymore. I care about you and what will happen to you. Did you stop to think about it? Did it cross your mind that nothing good will come out of it if you march up to his house and let your anger get the better of you? What will it achieve, Haymitch?"

He closed his fingers around her wrist and gave her hand a soft tug. Still, she refused to release her hold on his shirt.

"He won't be the one to suffer the repercussions. You will and I will not allow it. We look after each other, Haymitch, that's what we do and I don't -" Effie inhaled a breath and squeezed her eyes shut, blocking everything out just for a second to calm her nerves.

"Hey," he brushed his thumb across her cheek.

Her eyes fluttered open again. Effie gave him a small, reassuring smile. "You told me not to lose it in public because it'll be used against me. You're about to lose it and I will not have it. Don't be rash, Haymitch. I know you're angry. I am, too, but I won't have you thrown in jail for assaulting him. It's not worth it. I can't… I can't do this alone. I need you. Please, I need you with me."

Haymitch swallowed thickly and dropped his hand to his sides. He turned away from her, unable to face the truth of what she was saying.

"I want to make him - " he broke off.

He couldn't say it out loud, not to her. Effie had seen his Games. She knew what he was capable of and she had never judged him on it because she was aware that he had no other choice but now… He didn't want her to know the violent urges and thoughts crossing through his mind. He wanted to hurt Elias. He wanted to make him pay for everything he was about to put his family through. His fingers itched for the knife that he no longer carried around with him. For Effie's sake, Haymitch quelled the urge to put it in Elias' throat for what he had done to his children. His children shouldn't have to suffer because their uncle had a vendetta against their parents.

His hand shook. Effie slipped her hand in his and held on to him. She pressed her palm against his cheek, and kissed him, softly and gently until she felt him calm down.

"He'll pay for it. Maybe it won't be today and maybe it won't be from you but the day will come when whatever he's done will crash back on him. Let's just go home. It's been a long day. Let's go home, Haymitch. The children will be waiting for us and tomorrow…The officers will come for them. We should…. We should spend our time…."

The thought of what would happen tomorrow made his heart race and made the anger spike up again. Haymitch gritted his teeth. He knew Effie was right. He should spend this night with her and his children, not waste it on a vermin like Elias.

XxX

Tristan and Ethan had no idea their father was in the city and with it being a mid-week, they were not expecting him either. When they saw him entered the house with Effie, they were ecstatic beyond measure.

"It's Wesnesday today!" Ethan said, looking up at his father.

Haymitch laughed at his son's confusion.

"Wednesday," he corrected, lifting the boy up to nuzzle his cheek. "I wanted to see you and Tristan."

Years ago, it would have been odd to see Haymitch initiating contact but it was normal nowadays, especially with his sons. Usually, the sight of it made her heart swell but not today. There was a sharp, piercing pain in her chest to see Haymitch with a child in his arms and his nose pressed against his son's cheek. Her heart ached to see him drop a kiss on Tristan's head all the while knowing that they had been denied the rights to care for their own children.

Johanna must have sensed the tense atmosphere because she refrained from making any snide remarks about Haymitch's display of affection for his sons.

"How'd it go?" she asked instead.

"Give me a minute, Jo," Haymitch said.

He brought the children's building blocks out of their room and set it down in front of them. "Listen, I want the two of you to build me a house. We did it before back in Twelve with Prim. You remember how? I'm gonna have boring old people talk with your Uncle Felix and Aunt Johanna but when I'm done, I'm gonna come back and see if you two got a house for me."

The children needed to be occupied while they explain to Felix and Johanna of their newly appointed roles.

"Like our house, dada?" Tristan asked, biting his lip, a trait he picked up from his mother.

"Yeah, like our house with a blue door. You can use that rectangle block for the door. You know how a rectangle looks like, don't you?"

A deep crease appeared in between Ethan's brows as he struggled to remember his shapes. He raised his hand and hesitantly pointed a block out. Haymitch was sure he only got it right because blue was his favourite and he would recognise the colour.

Effie was already in the kitchen preparing a pot of tea when he joined them. Felix was pouring himself a glass of whiskey but when he saw Haymitch, he poured another for him.

"What happened?" he asked as he passed Haymitch his liquour. "It doesn't look like you've settled anything."

Haymitch shook his head, taking a sip of his drink. He sank on the chair across from Felix.

"Spit it out," Johanna frowned. "If none of you have custody then what the hell is going to happen to those kids out there?"

Effie and Haymitch exchanged a brief look. Leaning forward with his elbows resting on the table, Haymitch answered, "I named you and Felix as their legal guardians."

He slid the papers stamped with the Court's approval across the table to them. Johanna snatched it up, her eyes scanning the documents before she handed it over to Felix.

"You want _me_ to be their legal guardian? You're insane. Effie's always saying about how I'm a bad influence on your kids," she snorted.

"Are you both sure about this?" Felix asked. "I don't understand… will someone please tell me how it came to this?"

"The Family and Social Services will proceed with the investigation before they advise the Court if we should have custody. They claimed it's in the best interest of the children… that the children should grow up in a healthy, safe and conducive environment," Effie began talking. Haymitch did not feel up to the task of doing the explaining so he slumped in his seat. "We had to appoint a legal guardian or the Social Services will take the children and place them in another suitable home until the investigation is completed."

Effie told them everything from their difficulties trying to get any kind of information from the authorities to meeting President Paylor and finally to them finding out about Elias.

"Oh, dear lord!" Felix breathed out. "I cannot believe –"

"You're fucking kidding me," Johanna exclaimed. She turned her body sideways to address Felix. "Can't you do something about your asshole of a brother? How are you two even related?"

"I ask myself that question every day," Felix said, resigned. "I'm sorry. I really am. If I had known that he - I should talk to him."

"You shouldn't apologise for what he's done," Effie stated, not allowing him to argue on that point any further. "I think it's fruitless trying to talk to him. He's always been stubborn. In fact, it's better if you don't, Felix," she glanced at Haymitch for his opinion. He gave her a curt nod. "Elias doesn't need to know that we're aware it was him who filed the report."

"There has to be something he wants," Johanna suggested. "Why would he make a report otherwise? If Felix can find out what he wants then maybe you can get him to admit to the Social Services that the report was falsely file. There's no smoke without a fire," she shrugged.

"This isn't the first time. He reported me to the Council before, claiming that my work in trying to get the law repealed has to be illegal," said Haymitch.

"I know my brother," Felix interjected. "If he wants something out of this, he will make it known by now just like when he wanted you," his gaze shifted to Haymitch, "to give Effie up to Klaus in return for –"

"What?" Johanna interrupted, confused.

There were only a handful of people who knew about the deal Elias tried to get Haymitch to make and Johanna was not one of them.

"That's a long story," Haymitch told her. "Felix will tell you that one later – ask him. So what are you sayin' now, Felix, that there's nothing your brother wants?"

Effie's eyes darted between the pair of them. She held on to her cup of tea to stop the shakes.

"Nothing other than to spite you," Felix surmised. "It's sick and twisted but that's him. My brother, he's…. Elias always gets what he wants and when he doesn't, he gets ugly. He's your best friend while he tries to get you to do what he wants you to do but the moment that doesn't work out, he grows a pair of horns. When I was five, he locked me up in the basement for hours until my mother found me and that's because he wanted all of my chocolate when I've already shared half of it with him. I've never forgotten that incident."

"He told everyone at school not to attend Effie's sixteenth birthday party just because he was angry with her," Felix glanced over at Effie and offered her an apologetic smile. "She did something that he wasn't happy about. When our grandmother asked him what he had done, he twisted everything to make it seem like it was Effie's fault."

Haymitch knew little about Effie's life growing up in the Capitol. While they were working together during the Games, he was simply not interested. The lesser he knew about his escort, the better. When they were married, there were only bits and pieces about her past that she told him. He couldn't imagine a sixteen year old Effie Trinket in her new wig and custom made birthday dress sitting alone waiting for the guests that would never turn up. That probably was the source of her nightmares before she was tortured by Snow.

He touched her hand and laced their fingers together.

"My brother's a snake," Felix went on. "He's doing this just for the satisfaction of seeing you snivel at the bottom in desperation. He wants you to go to him and beg him to make it stop. That's the only way he'll stop. He likes to stand tall and feel superior to everybody else. He'll probably come to you soon just to let you know it was him who made the report. He'll gloat about it and if you want him to retract it back, you beg him."

Haymitch scoffed. "That's the last thing I'll do. I'm not begging from him."

"Not even for our children?" Effie whispered.

"There are other ways to get our custody back. We don't have to beg him for it. That investigation isn't going to reveal anything. We don't have anything to worry about."

"He's manipulative, Haymitch."

"And I'm telling you," he gritted his teeth, "that everything will work out. You need to trust me, sweetheart."

"I do. I'm not doubting you, I'm just… worried," she squeezed his hand. "Felix, Johanna, we apologise for not discussing the arrangement of legal guardianship with you beforehand but … We really do need your help."

Felix's eyes softened.

"Of course," he reached across and patted her hand comfortingly. "We'll help, darling, but… I don't know much about how to care for children. If you want me to spend time with them, read to them, draw with them or take them shopping, I can do all that but what you're asking… I'm worried."

"Don't be! We're just a phone call away. If there's anything… any questions at all, no matter the time, you can call. I want you to call. Tristan and Ethan are good children. They know how to behave and how – "

"Effie… Breathe," Haymitch laid his hand on her back to calm her. "They're not strangers. They know how the children are."

"Yeah, Trinket, we're not strangers," Johanna smirked.

"They know how to use the bathroom," Haymitch addressed them. "You just gotta keep an eye on them. You don't have to worry about changing their diapers or anything like that 'cept at night. Wouldn't want them wetting the bed, would we?"

Johanna snickered, throwing Felix a grin when he winced. The thought of the children soiling anything in his house made him wrinkle his nose.

"We would have appointed Katniss and Peeta but with things as it is right now, I feel that it's better for us to remain in the city to handle the investigation and all the paperwork. I want my children near me."

"You'll be staying here then?" Johanna asked Haymitch.

"Yeah, that's the plan. I'll be here until everything's settled. I want this over as soon as possible and once that's done, I'm bringing them all back to Twelve."

His statement was unexpected especially to Effie. The cup of tea hovered mid-way to her lips. She turned her head to look at him, blue eyes reflecting her confusion.

"Your home is in Twelve," he claimed. "It's been your home for the past five years. That's where our children should be, Effs. They were born there so they should live there. When we get our children back, I'm keeping us all together."

"Haymitch – "

"That's what I want," he cut her off, dropping his voice to a whisper so that only Effie could hear him. "You asked me to think about what I really want and I'm telling you now – I want all of us back together. That's what I want for us. It should have always been that way."

Effie placed the cup back on its saucer carefully. Time had a way of slowing down to a trickle in moments such as this. Effie said nothing except to run her finger over the rim of her cup in an absentminded gesture.

Felix and Johanna left to give the family time to spend the night together, not that Effie noticed now that she was deep in thought.

"Haymitch, what you said – "

Haymitch interrupted her again.

"It wasn't a good time to tell you, I know. It's not a good time to discuss it either," he shrugged, "but I just wanted to you to know."

She pursed her lips, pushing herself off the chair to stand in front of him.

"You really do have inappropriate timings," she whispered softly, her lips inches from his. Her fingers were splayed against the side of his neck as she stroked his jaw. "We need to work on that."

Haymitch didn't bother to dignify what she said with another comment. Instead, he circled his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss.

XxX

Haymitch could hear his soft footsteps running across the floorboard. He heard the bed creaked and the covers rustle.

"Brush your teeth," he told Ethan and poked his head out of the bathroom to see a lump in the middle of Effie's bed. Tristan was under the covers, hiding.

"Get out of there, peanut," Haymitch tugged the covers gently. "You're gonna suffocate."

Tristan grabbed the covers as Haymitch tugged on it. He grunted just as Effie entered her bedroom. She pressed her finger to her lips.

"I got this," she nodded towards Tristan. "You get Ethan ready for bed."

Haymitch shrugged and went back to the adjoining bathroom to see Ethan using his toothbrush to scrub the toilet seat. Haymitch snatched him up and pried the toothbrush out of his hand, throwing it into the bin. He helped the boy rinse his mouth, grumbling under his breath.

"I left you alone for _one_ second and you're washing the toilet?"

"I saw mama! I wanna clean, too," he pouted.

"She was using a different brush, tiger," he sighed.

In the bedroom, Haymitch saw Effie throwing the covers back to reveal her son grinning up at her.

"I found you!" she exclaimed and tickled his sides.

Tristan's laughter filled the bedroom until Effie climbed into bed and slipped under the covers next to her son. He curled next to her quietly.

"I sleep here," Tristan declared.

Effie gasped and pretended to be shocked by it which made him giggle. "You want to sleep in this bed?"

Tristan nodded.

"Me too!" Ethan said excitedly, wriggling in Haymitch's arms.

"The both of you in my bed?" Effie frowned. She tapped her chin, thinking about it before she extended her hand to beckon Haymitch over.

"These rascals will keep you up all night," Haymitch teased. He swung Ethan back and forth and then threw him gently on Effie's bed next to his brother.

"You, too, dada!" Ethan pulled on his father's hand until Haymitch was sitting at the edge of the bed. "We sleep together like at home."

Haymitch hesitated because it was never that simple. Things were not as they once were. He had not slept in the same bed as Effie since the law.

"Should I sleep in your bed too, sweetheart?" he raised his eyebrow, his tone teasing.

"I - I'd like that," she blushed. "Make room for your father! We'll all have to squeeze into this bed."

His eyes lingered uncertainly on her but when she pulled the covers and looked up at him expectantly, Haymitch didn't question her. He stretched on the bed next to Ethan.

Haymitch closed his eyes, finally allowing himself to rest just for a moment after the stress of today.

Ethan laid his head on his father's extended arm, using it as a pillow. Haymitch was half listening to Effie telling the boys a bedtime story when he felt her fingers playing with his own. He cracked an eye open to look at her. She smiled at him.

The children were already asleep. They were taking up most of the space, pushing Effie and Haymitch to the very edge of the bed.

"Today's the last night we'll be together as a family," she whispered. "I don't know when else…"

He retracted his arm carefully from under Ethan's head and pulled a pillow to cushion the boy. Haymitch reached out to brush Effie's hair back from her face.

"Don't think about tomorrow. We're all here tonight – that's what counts," he yawned. "The next few days – weeks, maybe – will be difficult and when that happens, you hold on to tonight."

"I'll still have you. I can face anything if you're with me. I'm not walking through this alone."

That spoke volumes to him.

They didn't have to be married to stand resolutely by each other's side. He would never let her go through this on her own and he didn't think he could face it alone either. Effie needed him just as much as he needed her.

On their own, they had each faced things in life that was far worse than Elias. Now that they have each other, they could handle anything.

"You'll never have to walk alone," he promised.

* * *

><p><em>Let me know what you think!<em>


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